THE NEW SOVIET PARLIAMENT

Southland Times, Issue 22915, 13 June 1936, Page 7

THE NEW SOVIET PARLIAMENT

“A REAL DEMOCRACY” COMMUNISTS RETAIN MONOPOLY (United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright.) (Rec. 8 p.m.) London, June 12. The Moscow correspondent of The Daily Telegraph says that the text has been issued of the new Soviet Constitution drafted by a commission over which M. Stalin presided. It claims to have established the world’s only real democratic system, though the monopoly of the Communist Party is maintained. Parliament will consist of two newly-created Chambers. The Lower House will be called the “Union Council,” directly elected by secret ballot, with one member for each 300,000 electors. The Upper House will be called the “Council of Nationalities”; indirectly elected, it will represent the Soviet Republics and the autonomous national republics. The two bodies will meet at Moscow regularly twice a year. They will form a “Supreme Council” to elect one President for the entire Soviet Union. Every citizen, male and female, will be expected to vote, and will be able to stand for election. The so-called “class enemy” is now considered to have been “liquidated.” The civic rights granted include equal pay for both sexes, pensions and holidays, while religious liberty, the right to hold political demonstrations, freedom of the Press, free speech and security from arbitrary arrest are also established.