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Wairarapa Times-Age, 15 July 1938, Page 4

That the realisation on the part of Stalin that the masses of Russia would not fight under the banner of the Communist International and that something narrower an.d more concrete had to be provided to mobilise their loyalty v/as suggested by Professor Boris Alexander, of Le Moyne College, Tennessee, as being the possible cause of the recent trials irt Russia. Profess or Alexander, who emigrated from .’Russia to tee United States of Ameri ca in 1925, said that after years of training in international ideals, parti culnrly on the part of youth, the change could not be brought about quid rly, more especially as some of its leaders were regarded as heroes. After placing his men in strategic positions, Stalin had gradually been able j to eliminate these former chiefs as opinion in Russia had swung away frotm its post -war idealism. Trotsky, who could h ave been killed on several occasior .s, was kept as a “whipping boy.” ’lt was convenient for Stalin t;o brant 1 his enemies as Trotskyists.