CHANGE IN RUSSIA.

Taranaki Daily News, 27 December 1921, Page 5

CHANGE IN RUSSIA.

LENIN’S NEW POLICY. CIVIL WAR FALLACY. NECESSITY FOR TRADE. By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. Received Dec. 26, 5.5 p.m. Moscow, Dec. 23. Lenin, opening the ninth Congress of the Soviets, sarcastically attacked those Communists who still believed it possible to salve Russia’s economic problem by civil war and Communist exclusiveness. He relentlessly condemned refconcilables who deny the necessity of trade. His declaration that the Government intended to request the congress to authorise them to limit drastically the powers of the extraordinary commission for fighting the counter-revolution created a sensation. He praised the commission as indispensable when counter-revo--1 utinonary plotting was supported by all capitalist Governments, but he added that the commission’s original scope was incompatible with Russia’s new economic policy, and rnerefore it must be modified. Received Dec. 26, 8.55 p.m. New York, Dec. 25. The New York Times’ Moscow correspondent states that 2000 Soviet delegates from Russia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Armenia- and various foreign countries, including the United States, Japan and Germany, met in the State Opera House on the occasion of an address by Lenin, who held his audience spellbound with an impassioned speech on the new Soviet economic policy.

He said: “Some of you talk as if being a Communist was everything. Are you not aware that the factories are mostly idle? You call yourselves a proletariat, but until industry is re-es-tablished there is no such thing as a proletariat.” He added that the trade figures for the latter part of 1921 showed a real improvement in the economic situation, although progress was bound to be slow. It was necessary to pass yet further laws to stimulate foreign trade and encourage foreigners, whether merchants or industrial entrepreneurs, to engage in enterprises in Russia. The correspondent adds that Lenin apparently feels encouraged to pursue the new policy by the assurance of loyalty of his followers. It is also felt that internal and inter-political reforms are pending. Possibly there will be greater electoral liberty and curtailment of the powers of the all-Russian Extraordinary Committee. —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.