SOVIET PARLIAMENT

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 36, 12 February 1938, Page 9

SOVIET PARLIAMENT

THE FIRST SESSION

A COLOURFUL ASSEMBLAGE

WOMEN DEPUTIES

(From "The Post's" Representative.) LONDON, January 15. The varying professions of the 1143 deputies to the first Soviet Parliament, held in Moscow this week, have been learned with interest by Londoners. All classes, it is reported, are represented, including several milkmaids, two charwomen, and 200 peasants. The youngest member is a 19----year-old factory girl. All types of Russia's 150 nationalities are included among the legislators— slit-eyed Mongols, swarthy Armenians, turbanned Uzbeks, Eskimos, fiercelooking Turkomen, and Caucasians of all sorts. Many of them were making their first visit to Moscow. Some had never seen a railway or a motor-car until this visit. Scores of them had to travel on camels, donkeys, dog-sledges, or reindeer sledges before climbing into aeroplanes or specially reserved sleeping cars to complete journeys in some cases of several thousand miles. The member for the extremity of the Chukotsk Peninsula, facing Alaska across the Behring Straits (nearly 6000 miles from Moscow) harnessed his dog team in the Polar night a few hours after being elected on December 12; drove for. several days to the nearest air base; and flew to Irkutsk, in Eastern Siberia, and just arrived in time for the opening sessions. More than 50 per cent, of the members are said to have grown up since the Revolution under Stalin's leadership. Their average age is under 40. Many of them, of course, are aged, and some are bearded Russian scientists. A LIST OF DUTIES. The "Pravda," the Communist newspaper, gave implicit instructions to the members regarding their duties. They are, it said, to "work as Comrade Stalin demands of them." "Pravda" also significantly warned these new deputies that they must follow the line "the people" ordered them to follow. They must remember that there can be no differences of opinion or interests between the members of the new Soviet Parliament because the "interests of the peasants and workers and intelligentsia ..who elected them are always the same." They must never slacken in hunting down "enemies of the people"—Trotskyist and Bukharinite ruffians, Fascist agents and other spies. Such instructions from the Central Party organ were believed, however, to be unnecessary. Before leaving their remote constituencies the new deputies, whether milkmaids or professors of surgery, were given standardised messages from "the people" to deliver to Stalin thanking him "for the new happy life he has given us," and asking for _ even sterner measures against "enemies of the people." STALIN'S RECEPTION. Stalin was cheered for eight and a half minutes, when on the stroke of 4 p.m. he entered the former Kremlin throne-room for the opening of the new Union Council of which he is "first member." . His chief lieutenants followed him into the hall in single file. The ■great Red leader took up his position in one of the commodious boxes reserved for leaders, at the foot of the presidential tribune. While the applause lasted, he stood with back to a broad white pillar. Against this background Stalin's strong, severe features were clearly visible to the new legislators, most of whom had never seen him before. While they clapped him he politely clapped back for. them. As always, Stalin wore his plain military tunic, breeches, and high black boots. Stalin was given an even greater ovation at 8 p.m. at the opening of the Council of Nationalities. This time Stalin was cheered for eight minutes until he showed signs of impatience. Afterwards, when business seemed to to be beginning, at least one member of each national group insisted on shouting a salutation to the Red leader, each in his own native tongue, but always with the word "Stalin." This set the building rocking again with cheers —again indefinitely. Colourful costumes erflivened both these sessions. Most conspicuous was a group of Kazaks in bright red robes and skull caps sitting beside Uzbeks in flowing green silk. Nearby was a Nenetz, from the Arctic, in coat and cowl of reindeer skin, alongside a woman wearing a bright Ukrainian peasant shawl. There was only 'one difference of opinion, and this occurred when a proposal was made that the Council should sit sometimes in the day instead of the evening, "to permit members to go to the theatres," was rejected. It was a Tartar delegate to the Nationalities Council who opposed the holding of sessions in the evening. He wanted, he said, to go to cinemas and ' theatres while in Moscow. This was greeted with laughter and shouts of "We're here for business, not for a good tlmel" and "You can go to matinees!" THE TWO CHAMBERS. The deputies are meeting at the time of the most severe purge since the revolution and will have to deliberate and legislate upon the most difficult problems. The agenda includes the election of a new Government, the discussion of the five-year plan Budget and foreign affairs. The two chambers, the Union Council and the Nationalities Council, will meet simultaneously. The two chambers, with equal— nominally "sovereign"—powers, were elected by direct equal universal secret suffrage. The Union Council has 569 members, and the Council of Nationalities has 574 members. * All were chosen by the Proletarian Dictatorship and returned unopposed, including 184 women.