Nelson Evening Mail THURSDAY, OCTOBER, 14, 1926 BOLSHEVISTS DIVIDED

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 14 October 1926, Page 4

Nelson Evening Mail THURSDAY, OCTOBER, 14, 1926 BOLSHEVISTS DIVIDED

THE news that one section of the Bolshevist leaders of Russia, is standing its trial for High Treason against the Soviet —the charge is “violation of party discipline- in openly discussing the polcv of Stalin and the Political Bureau

shows that whatever the advantages of Bolshevism may be. free speech is not, one of them. But a year ago Stalin, Zinovieff, and Kamenefl were styled the Triumvirate, and ruled Russia, in the place of Lenin. Today Zinovieff and Kamenefl’ have openly rebelled against, Stalin, and with Trotsky and Radek and Pyntakoff (two lesser lights) are being tried by Central Committee of the Communists’ Parly.

Leon Trotsky's real name is David Brnnstein. He has been described thus by one of bis closest, companions in pre--sevolutionary days:—“To express lus own will actively, to rise above all others, to be everywhere and all the time in the lead, this has always constituted the fundamental basis of Trotsky's personality. Aii other sides of bis psychic, life are only functional superstructures and annexes.” Therefore when Lenin died, and The Triumvirate stepped into Ibn position of authority which Trotsky nr. doubt thought belonged to him as Lenin’s closest disciple, it is easy to understand that trouble was not far off. But what is strange is that The Big Three of Russia—Stalin, Zinovieff, and Kameneff— who held the reins of government in their hands as surely almost as Lenin did—should have quarrelled hopelessly. Kameneff and Zinovieff (like Trotsky) are Jews: Stalin is a Georgian. The three Jews have quarrelled with 1 lie Oeoiginn, and the strange thing is that the Georgian seems to be stronger iban the three Jews put together. Politically speaking Trotsky’s nose has been out- of joint for eighteen months or so: he was even banished to the Caucasus for a time. But his defection was intviialde, because of his insatiable ambition. But Kameneff is a very different character, quiet, thorough, plodding, industrious. with a distinct genius for economies—he stabilised Russia's currency, as with the stroke of his pen—and earned the trust and praise of Lenin, who said of him :--“Knmeneft is a good horse: tie draws many carts, and draws them all well.”

Zinoviefi is a demagogue and a firebrand who would make trouble with his own shadow if there were no one else with whom ho might quarrel. However, lie was Lenin’s faithful slave, and proved his devotion fully arid amply. But the distrust arid secretiveness of Stalin were bound to estrange Zinovieff, though why Kamenefl should turn against the Georgian is not clear. However, Stalin is still in the saddle, and the three revolting Jews are being tried by their peers, apparently in their absence. But whether they are at large or are in confinement, it is plain that three of the most prominent "founding” members of the Soviet Government have completely broken away from their colleagues; that there is disunion in the Bolshevists’ ranks; and that under Stalin's dictatorship freedom of speech is denied even to men who were the close, confidantes of Nikolai l.enin, the aide Bolshevist. Thus it will lie seen that the tyranny of Czardotn and the tyranny of Bolshevism produce the same result —1 lie suppression of freedom.