FIVE YEARS IN RUSSIA

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19132, 29 September 1936, Page 11

FIVE YEARS IN RUSSIA

FORMER WAIHI STRIKER SOVIET’S DESIRE FOR PEACE Once definitely opposed to the Parliamentary system, but now recognising tho fallacy of Iris former views, Mr. J. B. King, who played a prominent part in the Wailii mining strike of 1912, arrived at Auckland by the Ulotorua from England on Friday after spending over five years in So Get Russia. Mr. King assisted the Soviet Union as a member of a number of mining commissions, and he travelled through almost every part of tho country, visiting places which the tourist cannot hope to see. ,“I was once opposed‘to the system of Parliaments, but experience has taught me tho fallacy of that,” said Mr. King. ‘‘The position is fundamentally a political one. Economic organisations are, of course, essential, but each country must also have political, national, and international expression. Parliament 'gives a. country such an expression. There are many Parliaments in Russia, and tho introduction of a. new Constitution makes it tho most democratic country in tho world. This Constitution provides for a body similar to our own Parliamentary machine, for it is elected by all the people.” Russia was rearming very vapidly, continued Mr. King, hub no fear-?--of aggression by Ihe Soviet Union need he entertained by any nation, especially by Die League of Nations, which Russia intended to support up to tho lult. “As for my own views about the application of tho Soviet principles to other countries,” said Mr. King, “1 think tho proposition of maintaining democracy, in view of the international situation, is the main task before us. A peace bloc between England, Franco and Russia would prevent war.”