SOVIET’S FRESH TACTICS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXIV, Issue 3241, 11 December 1930, Page 4

SOVIET’S FRESH TACTICS.

The trial of the Russian professors and engineers has concluded. To the average Russian it has seemed a impressive ' showing up of the enemies of their country; to the outside world it has been a disgusting exhibition of a violation of the courts of law of any country boasting any form of civilisation. The mock piety attributed to some of the prisoners, the brazen effrontery of the .prosecuting counsel when he accepted the statement of Ramzin that he had been in collusion with Britain and France to overthrow the Soviet regime, and the melo-dramatic methods by which the whole proceedings were staged might be treated with ridicule were it not for the serious issues involved. The average Russian is not a ruffian or a scoundrel. Those belonging to the peasant and working classes are simple and childlike, but for centuries they have been tyrannised and kept in subjection. When the revolution took place twelve years ago they considered that any new form of Government could not be worse than the conditions which they suffered under Czarism. They wel-

corned any change, especially when promises were made by the leaders of the revolution that their outlook in life would undergo wonderful changes. Through their blundering methods, however, the Soviet leaders have not been able to fulfil - those promises, and the masses are beginning to realise that bad as their conditions were under the old regime, they are infinitely worse under the new order of things. The promised glories of Communism are beginning to fade amongst the masses. They are feeling the pinch of hunger and poverty in its worst forms, and the leaders of the Soviet are at their wit’s end to keep the people in subjection. The trial of these men at Moscow is one of many attempts to make the rank and file of Russia believe that

they have the rest of the civilised world against them; that other countries are out to exploit Russia and her people, and evidently with satisfactory results to the Soviet leaders. The question is how long can the Soviet continue to carry out its deceit. That conditions must become worse in Russia if its plans for the Communisation of the world continue, leaves little room for doubt. These plans involve the spending of millions 1 of pounds abroad every year, while the people who should be reaping the : benefits of these huge sums are becoming more hungry day by day. Now that the Moscow trials have finished, ■ it will be interesting to know the l next move of the Soviet to placate s their dupes.