RUSSIAN CONSTITUTION

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 198, 7 September 1937, Page 4

RUSSIAN CONSTITUTION

Address By Mr. Martin Smith Mr. Martin Smith, M.A., LL.B., D.P. Ed., gave a very informative address on the Russian Constitution to members of the Hastings W.E.A. The xnain issues of the experiment, he said, were: . How shall man be governed? How shall property be owned? The Constitution of tho Soviet was a Federal Republic, civil rights and the franchise boing enjoycd by persons over 18 years of iago. But those who hired labour for profit, people living on unearncd incomes, clergy and membera of Royalty wero dcbarred from qivil rights. Tho goverpmental electoral machine was like a pyramid. Tho lowost mark was thafc of tho sniall town and rural Sqviets. The rurnl population is not nearly so well represented as tho town workers. The city workers had a ropresentation of one per 100, while the country workers had a represontation of one por 1000. Thon there was the rural districts congress; the country eongress, consisting of not more than 300 men. the .provincial congress; the regional congress. After this came the All-Russian Congress of Soviets, about '2000 in number. Thon there was the Union of Soviet Socialist Republic. The Russian Congress of Soviets elected a presidium of 27 members with powers similar to our own Cabinet. -o, Though representation had been given two factors must be taken into aceount. The Com'munistie party and tho -nctijvork of . the groups known as ihe collectives. The abolition of private property and tho institution of State planning had invelvod complete social changes. It was dccided at tlie meeting to ask Mr. Martiu Smith to leeture on the "Far Eastern Criscs? Its Causes and Issues. "