TROTSKY SPEAKS

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XIX, Issue 62, 28 February 1929, Page 5

TROTSKY SPEAKS

TALE OF EXILE AND FINAL BANISHMENT MID-WINTER JOURNEY. STRENUOUSLY OPPOSED BEING SENT TO TURKEY. [United Press Association—By Cablo— Copyillht.) [Australian and N.Z. Press AssoolaUoa.) (Received 28, 10.55 a.m.) London, Feb. 27. Leon Trotsky, who is ill, has been exiled to Constantinople, where he is protected by Russian official* against the danger of assassination. He has dramatically broken silence by revealing the story of his banishment, which has been published exclusively in the “Daily Express,” which states the articles were written in Russian before his arrival in Turkey and cabled to Paris, where they were translated and forwarded to London. Trotsky bitterly blames his archenemy. Stalin, whose downfall he predicts. He criticises the present regime and reveals the secret history of the developments which led to his being a penniless political outcast. x In describing his exile, he says that Almata is 1500 miles from Moscow and 150 miles from the nearest railroad. He lived there with his wife and son and had a few books amid really magnificent natural purroundings. He received letters and newspapers at irregular intervals. His only recreations, were shooting expeditions, on which he was accompanied b v agents of the G.P.U., when they lived the lives of nomads tor seeks, sleeping under the atari. Game was plentiful. About half his own letters reached their destinations. Some were turned into tracts and distributed over wide areas at home and abroad. Then came October with a last sudden change. Correspondent ceased; there were no more letters and no more telegrams.

ARMED MEN SURROUND HOUSE

On a day in January, armed men surrounded the house. A G.P. U. agent handed Trotsky a decree of expulsion on the ground * of having organised an illegal party, which has been endeavouring lately to foment anti-Soviet revolts and prepare armed resistance against the Soviet power.”

On being asked to sign the receipt, Trqfskv wrote thereon “This decree is criminal in substance and illegal in form.” Then followed feverish packing. Trotsky, with his wile, sun and escort, departed at dawn in a frightful blizzard. The tractor which was to take them across the uiuuniniue same in the snow, also the teVeu motor cars which it was towing The party had to leave the cars and take to sledges, eventually boarding a train During the journey, Trotsky was informed that his destination was Constantinople, on .which he categorically refused to leave the country, so the train was shunted into a siding while Moscow was debating the matter. The cold was intense.

“We spent our time coughing, waiting arid attacked by grippe, reading and playing chess, We did not know where we were and so passed 12 days and nights.’’ Then the agent Bulanov announced that, in spite of the Moscow Government's best efforts, Germany had refused admission and Trotsky must go to Turkey. In spite of his protests, the journey was then resumed ana Constantinople was reached after many hardships. It took 22 days to go 4000 miles.

Trotsky stressed two points. Th* expulsion was without his consent and the illegal charge of preparing armed resistance was false.

Trotsky declares that his opposition policy had nothing to do with armed resistance or the method of internal reform. “I declare this throughout the world, in order to protect the interests of the Soviets against the blow dealt them by the false accusations of the G.P.U., as dictated by Stalin. However great

the difficulties of the Soviet republio may be those who anticipate the early overthrow of the regime are destined for another cruel disappointment. Such difficulties arise not only from objective circumstances but from a sterile policy of hesitation.”