SOVIET SECRECY

Greymouth Evening Star, 23 June 1937, Page 4

SOVIET SECRECY

LAND FULL OF RESTRICTIONS.

Soviet Russia’s Bolshevik rulers not only acknowledge but take pride in secrecy. Men and women who overthrow a Government by conspiracy attach an extreme importance to secrecy even now, 20 years after their revolution (says the Moscow correspondent of the “Christian Science Monitor.”)

The Communist newspaper'Pravda I recently pointed out that secrecy is ! a “Bolshevik tradition.” In the years lof underground conspiracy, said Pravda, Bolsheviks learned to work in absolute secrecy. And now, added the newspaper, secrecy is even more necessary than it was in those days. “We are surrounded by capitalist — and therefore hostile—peoples,” explained Pravda. “We must not forget for a moment that ou renemies will attempt to make use of every hole in our apparatus, they will make use of flattery, intrigue, drunkenness, any kind of measure to get at the secrets of our Party and our state.” This state of mind, prevalent under all dictatorships, is not natural to Russians, who are open hearted, friendly to foreigners, and like to talk. But their Bolshevik rulers are determined to change their character, and have largely succeeded in doing so. The official insistence upon secrecy hears heavily upon foreign residents, whether they are correspondents endeavouring to obtain factual information or merely visitors who want to make friendly contacts with Soviet peoples. During the years since the revolution. Soviet citizens have learned by experience that relationships with foreigners can do them no good and may do them much harm. This atmosphere will not be improved bj r Pravda’s recent warning that “every citizen who reveals information to our enemies, however unimportant it may seem, must be punished with the utmost severity.” The newspaper added that “every Communist must understand, once and for all, that there are no ‘small’ secrets; the enemy can make use of any information of an economic or defensive character.” SILLY EXTREMES.

’t he official insistence upon secrecy leads (<» ridiculous extremes. Government. oilices and institutions refuse to y.ivo out. purely routine informal ion unfl the director has approved it, and often the director must first consult higher authorities.

Correspondents seldom can hope to get any kind of information in less than a week.

In Moscow, special permits tire demended for admission to Government offices, even those which have no connection witli the army, and even to some schools. An armed guard examines the permit when the visitor enters. and will not permit the- visitor Io leave until his permit has been countersigned by a responsible official. The average tourist is not aware of such regulations; he is taken about by Government guides, who arrange permits in advance.

Tho authorities evidently intend to extend, rather Ilian to relax, this permit. system, which occupies hundreds of petty officials and guards. A Pravda < eriespoijdept. recently complained that, he had managed to get into several buildings after office hours, and had discovered that officials left con-

fidential papers on their desks. He found Government decisions and other “secret material” on open tables. “What trust can our Party and Government impose in leaders who fail to guard Party and state secrets?” asked this correspondent. “Careless institutions offer a rich field to our

enemies.” Smaller members of the bureaucracy, added Pravda, must be, equally careful. “Petty-bourgeois carelessness is evidenced by some of our workers, who like to talk to show that they know secrets. Enemies lie in wait to make use of such tongue-wagging.”