SOVIET RUSSIA

Evening Star, Issue 19765, 16 January 1928, Page 5

SOVIET RUSSIA

REVELATIONS BY TROTSKY SECRET PARTY FUND. Pi ess Association—By Telegraph—Copyright , RIGA, January: 14. It is disclosed that Trotsky at one of his meetings made extraordinary revelations concerning secret reserve funds of the Communist Party. He said that when Deniken and Kalchak were nearing Moscow and the whole of Russia was ablaze with revolt, the Soviet departments, acting on Lenin’s instructions, confiscated money, valuables, and jewels wholesale, from which a secret fund of £20,000,000 was formed so that the leaders, in case of necessity, would bo enabled to escape abroad and carry on the party’s work. Only Lenin and his intimates, such ns Trotsky, Zinovieff, and Kameneff were aware of this fund.

Tho Bolshevists survived and duly consolidated their position, and the fund remained untouched during Lenin’s lifetime. Stalin raided the fund when tho party became impoverished, and created many sinecures, even commercial and semi-commercial organisations, whereby Stalinites and their followers and friends were enabled to thrive, and the system was bolstered up. Trotsky urged tho workers,to demand a full account of the secret funds. The revelations, it is stated, have produced a stunning effect. DISCIPLINARY MEASURES. ZINOVIEFF AND KAMENEFF. LONDON, January 14. The Berlin correspondent of the British United Press says that in contrast to the punishment meted out to the other oppositionists, Zinovieff and Kameneff are being sent on a 11 party mission ” to Voronezh, in Southern Russia. It is believed that the journey is in the nature of a disciplinary measure, and may end in their re-admission to the Communist Party. THE PEASANTS AND POLITICS.

RIGA, January 14

Soviet officials touring the country to induce the peasants to subscribe to the loan were pained to discover that the agriculturists tvere demanding public houses similar to those in Western Europe, wishing relaxation without being compelled to listen to political lectures. Communist reports state_ that tho officials declare that there is an alarming increase in drunkenness, peasants spending one-fifth of their incomes on drink at the village clubs which the Soviet founded.