‘LENIN’

Evening Star, Issue 22383, 6 July 1936, Page 10

‘LENIN’

RAILWAY W.E.A. CLASS The last of a series of three -lectures on modern Russia was given at the Railway W.E.A. Class yesterday morning, when the subject of the tutor s address was the 1 Life of Lenin. . in prefacing his remarks, the speaker said that, in the early days of'the Russian Revolution, popular opinion regarded Lenin as a callous terrorist, pursuing his revolutionary purpose with relentless and ruthless -determination, leaving a trail of blood and destruction. To-day, however, some people were going to the other extreme' being inclined idealise him, an equally erroneous attitude to adopt. Lenin was undoubtedly one of the world’s great men. His untiring energy, patience, courage, and wide knowledge had made his name and his life work world famous. It was not at the man Lenin that criticism was now directed, but there were some points in his beliefs and analyses that were not popularly accepted. People who opposed the use of force, for example, could not reconcile themselves to Lenin’s viewpoint. Vladimir Ilyich Ulianov (Leninls correct name) was born in 1870 at Simbirsk, a typical “ nest of gentlefolks,” on the Volga, lly birth he was not one of the proletarians, his father being inspector ot primary schools. When ' Lenin was 17 hi* brother was executed for plotting against the Tsar, which strengthened in the young Vladimir a determination to analyse and strive to adjust the social system. He was expelled after six weeks at Kazan University, but succeeded in passing his law examinations without university tuition. At 25 _he was arrested on account of his Socialist activities, and after 14 months in prison was exiled to Siberia. His life m Siberia, where he was married, and hi# eventual return to revolutionary actiyity at the end of his exile (1900) were outlined, as /was his conflicts of opinion with Plekhandv and other comparativedly moderate leaders, which culminated in the split in the Revolutionary Party at the Congress in 1903. Lenin’s part in the 1905 Revolution and his narrow escape from capture over breaking ice on, the Baltic were mentioned. Then followed years of poverty and disappointment in exile. He was practically alone during the early years of the Great War. Then, in - March, 1917, the first Revolution overthrew the Tsar’s rule. Lenin, facing grave risk, returned to Russia, and eventually, upon the collapse of the Kerensky Government, took over the full responsibility of the revolutionary policy. In 1921 he accepted, in the face of famine, a new economic policy, the foundation of the Five-year Plans. He was shortly after attacked by paralysis. Although he had intervals of activity from then on, this illness continued till his death in January, 1924. Two students, in short papers, touched upon different aspects of Lenin’s life work. Maxim Gorki was quoted as saying; “The fundamental purpose of. all Lenin’s life is the happiness of humanity.”

The remaining hour was occupied in a vely discussion, which was effectively ;i mmed up by the class tutor.