The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. TUESDAY, MARCH 17th, 192.3.

Hokitika Guardian, 17 March 1925, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. TUESDAY, MARCH 17th, 192.3.

FAILURE OF COMMUNISM. Russia continues to lx? the sheet anchor for the C'oipmunists, who have spread throughout the world, seeking to establish a desire for Communism in other countries, But- there h?s been p tight going on between the- political jflqioiis in Rissla-iteeilh hh? £<?in«

munists are in peril of being beaten. Strange to say that the great opponent of Communism now, in Russia, is one who at the outset worked to establish that form of government. But experience taught him the folly of it. and he is the force working in the opposite c-aiiip. The Communists tiv to belittle Trotsky, who is the person in question, and the correspondent of tin English paper lets in some light on tile subject, lie proceeds: -When the ruling cliques in Rus.-ia tell tile world that they have beaten Trotsky, they protest too much. This energetic and and In ill in ii t man of action is by no brilliant man of action is by no Trotsky may yet play the part of a Russian .Mussolini, even of a Russian Napoleon. Stories about Trotsky's had health are much exaggerated. When 1 saw Inin a year ago he was ccrtaniy ill Irom over-work. it win overwork that killed 'Lenin. But Trotsky is a 1 younger man. of stronger physique and with greater powers of recuperation. 'I lie reason for the break between ’I rotsky and tlie Triumvirate, Xinoviolt-Kaineney-Slald is that Trotsky realises tiie failure of Communism, and they do not. The Triunn irate would seek refuge in the teachings of l.eitin. But Lenin realised that Communism had failed and 1 1 is later writings show this clearly. Tortsky’ri strength lies in the fact Unit naii'i) anti more of those eom- ■ posing the three pillars of the Bolshevik State—viz. the Town Workers, the Feasants and the Soldiers- are beginning to realise it also. The Communist machinery of Slate prndiiction is slowing down and will presently slop. All that keeps the economic- Jito of Uto ' country going is the nou-Comnninist efforts of the peasantry who raise crops and breed cattle for gain, and such remains of the new economic polity (introduced by Lenin in his later days) as are not already destroyed in the Communist reaction led by Zi ttovieff and his friends. Stabilisation of the currency is the greatest achievement of the Revolution in its recent developments. The elievrnnetz, or gold rouble, lias maintained its position up till now. But it will lie more and more diflietilt dur ing this year for the -Ministry of Finance to resist the demands of the State departments for money to make up for losses on their trading accounts. Those departments must have money because the workmen must lie employed, or one of the pillars of the Communist State would collapse. Once an issue of money is begun without a gold or goldvalue hacking the currency will begin to depreciate once more. This will mean the final, collapse of the present system. That very propaganda which is employed against Trotsky to-day—-namely, that he luis advocated a modification of the pure Communist doc-trine-will .strengthen him in the minds of the toiling, .suffering masses in the factories and on the land. When disillusion is complete there will lie a demand for Trotsky’s recall. Jfe lias a big following among the young men, the peasants, the students, the intellectuals, and above all. in the army. Nothing is more likely than, providing his health improves, that Trotsky will be swept, to tlie head of a Russian Republican and Fascist movement bent on reorganising Russia on business—even on big business—lines. This movement will not l>c monarchist, and it will only welcome the help of tlie best of the emigres. It may well turn to military adventure against tlie hated Polos and Roumanians in tlie West, or in conjunctions with some of the warring elements in Chinn and Central Asia. Rut it is more likely that i! Trotsky can resist the temptation to play the role of a Russian Napoleon he will divert the new energy pressing for outlet in tlie direction of economic organisation and reconstruction. Trotsky only needs to rest to recover ids health and strength—and that he can now got. And in tlie interval there will lie time for the workmen, soldiers, and peasants to realise that his policy holds out the hope of salvation ; while the policy of his temporary triumphant enemies promises only poverty and suf. iering.