W.E.A.

Wairarapa Times-Age, 21 July 1943, Page 2

W.E.A.

MEETING OF MASTERTON GROUP. STUDY OF RUSSIA. At its last meeting the W.E.A. discussed the 1936 Constitution which gave universal suffrage to the Russian people. It was felt that this had been made possible by its progress towards a classless society and to the spread of universal education. As the Communist Party still carefully scrutinised the records of the candidates, the group decided that the State as a coercive force still existed in Russia. This led to a comparison of the election system in Russia with those of New Zealand and Britain, in which it was pointed out that our system sometimes led to the election of a parliament not truly representative of the desires of the electors.

Further discussion on the Communist Party disclosed that the group were unanimous in thinking the term “Party” a misnomer, as with its long term programme and evolutionary outlook it differed entirely from the western democratic party with its stress on the sectional interests it represents. The system of electing judges in the U.S.S.R. struck the group as democratic and worthy of imitation, but a sharp cleavage of opinion showed itself over the question as to whether their term of office should be for life, oi’ for a limited period, with the right of new appointment.