SOVIET CONSTITUTION.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 308, 27 November 1936, Page 7

SOVIET CONSTITUTION.

OUTLINE BY STALIN. ATTACK ON FASCISM. MOSCOW, Nov. 15. The new Soviet Constitution provides for a bicameral Parliament. It will be elected by universal 18-year-old suffrage and there will be a presidium of 37 acting as a collective executive. Small private firms and other individual enterprises will be permitted and complete freedom is given both to worship and the conduct of antireligious propaganda. M. Rosenholtz, Commissar for Foreign Trade, declares that Russia is now the world’s most solvent country.

M. Stalin was greeted at the AllUnion Congress, with 10 minutes’ cheering and the chanting of the “Internationale,” 20 Spanish delegates in the front row of the balcony being particularly demonstrative, when he outlined the new Constitution. lie was wearing his customary khaki tunic, and spoke for two hours without gesture or rhetoric. His audience consisted of 2033 delegates, mostly exemplary shock workers, and 2000 guests. M. Stalin emphasised that the Constitution was an indictment of Fascism, inspiring all civilised fighters for democracy against barbarism. It was not Communist but Socialist, and therefore, as Socialism was only the first phase of Communism, which must be everybody’s objective. The Constitution was not to be regarded as a final pronouncement standing for all time, but its importance was incalculable in view of the dirty flow of Fascism over some of the world’s best peoples. It morally supported all opponents of the Fascist robbers, and served to stimulate further the struggle for Communist victory. At present the State could pay citizens according to their production, but under Communism it would pay each according to his needs. M. Stalin suggested the organisation of a new commissariat for the military industries, providing the world’s greatest military machine. He severely criticised those desirous of depriving the priests and former White Guards of tlie suffrage, and added that the denial of a vote to priests and proscription of religious services would be contrary to the spirit of the Constitution. The time had come to abolish these limitations, which were only necessary in the first days of the Revolution as measures against those opposing it.

Thunderous applause lasting half an hour followed the address.

M. Kalinin, chairman of the Central Executivce, opened the proceedings of the Congress, which elected a presidium of 29 members, including MM. Stalin, Molotov, Kaganovich, Voroshilov, Kalinin and Litvinov. M. Stalin’s speech was broadcast throughout the Soviet Union, the operators increasing the amplification after M. Stalin’s voice began to fail, despite his drinking two bottles *of mineral water. Popular enthusiasm for the Congress is shown by a variety of presents from all over Russia, ranging from train loads of naphtha products and caterpillar tractors to a clock made by a convict in a labour camp. The clock weighs six hundredweight, and show* the Soviet leaders emerging from th* Kremlin when the hour strikes.