RULER OF RUSSIA

Hokitika Guardian, 26 October 1929, Page 5

RULER OF RUSSIA

A PEN PICTURE. (Unitied'"Press Association —By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) PARIS, October 25. Even’M. Lenin, in his palmiest days, had not the same personal influence as M. Stalin (President of the Soviet), who now, according to M. Bessedovsky, who is continuing his narrative in “ Le ' Matin ” (as cabled on October 23rd) files at Gorky, near Moscow, in villa in which - Lenin passed his last days. Eyery morning at nine o’clock M. Stalin goes to Moscow in a power--1 ? ful closed motor car. Two secret police jt'sii- beside, the chaffueur. Another car,. ™ filled with police agents, follows. The route is guarded night and day. When he arrives at headqaurters he works all day long—sometimes seventeen or eighteen hours at a stretch. ' M. Ressedovsy expresses the opinion that'there is no successor to M. Stalin, and that when, his place has to be filled it prill be by a body of men, And then, " .hepsays, there will come the debacle, and'everything will go to pieces. At present M. Stalin is assisted by M. Molotoff and M. Kaganovitch, who only act yvhen the chief is unable to work :any longer. M. Stalin is the uncontestedhead of the Political Bureau, or ' " ceil,; which administers the fhird Iriter- ’ National and the .Council of Cofiimis- ... ; snries. This Bureau was'intended as n n deliberative body of equals. ( but M. Stalin makes all of tlie'decisions. . According, to M.Be9sedovsky,-M. ' ‘ the onjy ond of the old. gutird . from tjbe October Revolution who con‘.tihues to beileye in t)ie imminence of ' a" world revolution, , Me has so little time , for his own affairs that, .when he ■wanted to divorce'his. wife and marry a. younger woman, he could not spare s tjie time to. go to the proper Govern- '■ ’merit office, fie just sent a;note, by

a messenger, who returned with the divorce in. a' quarter df an,hour. M. Stalin ,is .not .an f orator, and. he sticks closely' to his manuscript. ,He in)-’

presses his .audience, not by arguments,

.hilt by his tone and gestures*,/He uses u v . tire;, most vulgarilanguage, and he holds • L his entourage ,by fear, hy hjs powers of by the legend'that ■ ; bis disappearance iwi.ll mean -a rntas- , . tfophe.'i He is, an absolute! monarch,'