New Book's Pitiless Analysis
pp. 7-8 · Read in the full issue
of Stalin
THE most puzzling, mysterious force in international affairs to-day is Russia.
Is this Russia actually the creation of Lenin’s genius, or has there been an amazing degeneration in the original Bolshevik plan? Why did Russia betray the Western democracies, join the luna
tic Hitler and attack Finland? Where is Russia going from here?
Complete answers will be found in Boris Souvarine’s new 600-pages book, “Stalin”, just published by Angus and Robertson, Sydney, at 15/-. This critical survey of Bolshevism—a well-documented study of the events of a 40-years’ period —is one of the most important books of the decade. It discloses, in stark and fearful lines, the true character of Sta lin—a tireless intriguer for power; a man of low cultural and intellectual standards, yet intensely jealous of the achievements of Lenin and Trotsky; and a bloody-handed murderer whose ex ploits in individual and wholesale assas sination make Ivan the Terrible appear almost a gentleman. Of the thousands of Bolshevik officials who ruled Russia in 1923, only two now are alive —Stalin, the dictator, and Trotsky, who escaped to Mexico.
Russia, under the brilliant Lenin, meant something; Russia, after 15 years under Stalin, is a grotesque caricature of Communism, a happy hunting-ground for intriguers, gangsters and ruthless bureaucrats, and the despair of every diplomat in the world. Little wonder that Hitler and Stalin gravitated together!
A party of 18 Fijian seamen under Mr. G. V. Langdale, 2nd officer, has gone from Suva to Hong Kong in order to bring back to Fiji the new 1,000 ton ship “Viti”, which has been built in Hong Kong for the Government of Fiji.
The “Sydney Morning Herald” stated on April 9 that the Matson Line intends to proceed with its plans for building two luxurious liners of 35,000 tons each, at a cost of more than fA3,125,000 each, for the trans-Pacific service between San Francisco and Australia.
It is noted, with pleasure, in a list of prizes won in a certain Australian State lottery, that a fifth prize, worth £3OO, went to F. M. Campbell, of Wai mamura, San Cristoval, British Solomon Islands.