SOVIET RUSSIA.

Hokitika Guardian, 19 December 1928, Page 6

SOVIET RUSSIA.

MORE RUMOURS FROM RJ-GA. (Times Service). LONDON, Dec. 18. The “Times” Riga correspondent states that Communist organisations summoned a special conlerence of six hundred election officials at Moscow to devise means to counteract the ant-i-Communist movement in rural areas, which is the outcome of the Government’s drastic election measures. The biggest casualty on the official list for the past week is Barulikoff, Chairman of the Election Committee in the Tula district. Bandikolf began systematically disenfranchising ali untrustworthy peasants, forbidding them to attend meeting-', (but they held their own meetings. Bandnmll dispersed the meetings, and they shot him at his lodgings. The Secretary of the Soviet Party informed the Conference that such eases were increasing. Zinnvicfl’ worked out ;i plan to oigani.se landless peasants int-’ a tillage army to light the rural auti-S 'viot supporters, and estimates that lh“'C million landless peasants are availa de.

PROHIBITION OF CHRISTMAS DISPLAYS. LONDON, Dec. IS. The Times Riga correspondent states that because the prohibition of Christmas shop window displays is wide!., ignored, the Soviet authorities inflicted heavy lines, and threatened more drastic penalties if the lines were inolfective. Soviet newspapers declare that it is i tuompreheusiblc, that State-ov nod shops and co-operative stores accumulated great stocks of goods specially associated wilb Christmas, and decorated windows with Christmas festoon.--,. The Government is determined to terminate this offensive spectacle. Curiously enough, Soviet factories close- on Christmas Day, the workers refusing to alter the date ol the holidnv. hut- the authorities warned them it will he illegal to celebrate Christmas. either according to the old or the new calendar. A large proportion of citizens celebrate both days.