The Waikato Times. With which is Incorporated The Waikato Argus. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 1926. RUSSIAN POLITICS.

Waikato Times, Volume 101, Issue 16947, 9 November 1926, Page 6

The Waikato Times. With which is Incorporated The Waikato Argus. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 1926. RUSSIAN POLITICS.

The Russian Communists have maintained their position in face of the opposition of Zinovicff, Trotsky and Kamcncff, who have been banished, while the victorious party under Stalin are consolidating their position and have carried a resolution that everything requisite for socialist construction exists in the Union of Soviet Republics. Resolutions do not always bear any relation to fact, and it may, therefore, be unnecessary to take this particular resolution seriously. But if it is taken at face value it can only mean that Russia aims at being a selfcontained country although they accuse the defeated opposition of rejecting Lenin's idea of working with tho peasants in order to raise the price of manufactured goods. Reading between tho lines it would seem that Zinovieff and Trotsky wished to impose heavy customs duties to encourage industries and that Stalin rejected this idea in favour of foreign trading in order to procure goods at reasonable prices. If this surmise be correct it would show that the Bolsheviks arc broadening the base of their power and trying to work with the peasants. Hitherto the total number of those in Russia who supported Bolshevism has been very small, and they, were confined to the towns. They consisted largely of the industrial population which had been gathered together by the policy pursued by Count Witte prior to the war. He was the most able politician that the Czar had for many years, although it can hardly be said that his policy of high protection'was either wise or successful. It did, however, gather together a certain number of factory workers, who formed the nucleus of the Bolshevik power. It would seem now as if Stalin and those who act with him see that this is not a sufficiently broad basis for government. It is probable too that as the manufactures have shrunk in numbers and in size the men who were previously cmployed have drifted away to other pursuits. If our surmise about Stalin's policy be correct, it would appear that the Bolshevik power is gradually being consolidated. There has never been any indication of a serious reaction; even the dispute that has now been settled is one between two varieties of Bolsheviks. The question now arises whether trade is possible with Russia, and this depends entirely upon the extent to which the ordinary notions of law and order have been resumed. So long as the Government made a practice of taking over any business which appeared to pay, and giving some quite inadequate compensation for it, no trader was safe and no business could afford to give the trader credit. If any security could be given that this practice were abandoned no doubt trade would be resumed, to the great benefit of Russia and of Europe. Russia has afforded tho world the opportunity of proving several theories on a large scale. The great discovery made by Lenin was that it was possible to deprive every man of his goods by tho simple expedient of issuing unlimited paper money. Doubtless there were mauy political economists who could have predicted tiic result, but they were the last men to put such a diabolical policy into action. Politicians and those who support them did not understand where such action led. If anyone doubts this lie may turn to the financial history of the last few years and sec how excessive amounts of paper money have been issued witli the effect of discounting every man's possessions. Lenin went further, and instead of discounting ho destroyed the value completely. It was, however, a very different thing io recreate the value. Lenin at the time of his death was prepared to make an effort in that direction, but those who followed turn did not understand the necessity, and It ha. 3 never

yet been done. Stalin may succeed in restoring confidence, and capital would then slowly accumulate. The Bolsheviks have given the world a lesson in the dangers of tampering with currency, though it can hardly be said that the lesson has been taken to heart. In almost all countries the politician clings closely to the power of issuing paper money. But if Bolsheviks have taught us something about currency the condition of Russia prior to the war should leach, a lesson respecting the dangers of absolute rule. Corruption was found in every department and no respect was left for the Czar or for his officers. A small number of intellectuals would fain have improved matters, but for want of experience their action was futile and they were thrust aside for extremists. In the days of their power the Czars did nothing to create a class capable of taking part in public affairs. Thero was nothing between the huge population of ignorant peasants and the Czar with his corrupt officials. The few who would have initiated reforms had no means of voicing their wishes except assassination. The Government was indeed described as despotism tempered by assassination. Those who sec the mistakes made by Parliaments are sometimes sufficiently shortsighted to long for a despot. Tho cure for that particular form of folly is to look at what has taken place in Russia in the last ten years.