RUSSIA CANNOT REMAIN COMMUNISTIC IF WORKERS ELSEWHERE DO NOT AID - TROTZKY

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-01226R000100120008-2
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 21, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 10, 2008
• Sequence Number: 8
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 2008/06/10: CIA-RDP90-01226R000100120008-2
COFT
Compared
CA RW TORE A ICAN'
APRII. 16, 1933.
RUsbIA CJ OT REMAIN Ii' WO
CO NOT I.t - TFCT?'1T
forcer Leader Guarded in Exile
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ad r,
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It was my good fortune to spend three weeks with
Leon tsvidawioh Trotsky.
'For this privilege I was willing to travel the six
thousand miles fro* New York City to Turkey. From
Istenbal, I nods the last lop In a little steamer that
sailed out of the Golden Horn to the island of Suyuk Ads
(Frinkipo) In the ::rea of 1arnora.
`,here, facing the sea, surrounded by a high well, was
the house of Trotsky.
T went to the gets. A swarthy Turkish special officer
barred my way.
The illusion of "vacation" at once evaporated. This
was not "vscation," but exile, and not only exile, but
jail. The prisoner could walk about, he Could take his
boat and fish, but always with the officers at his side.
Trotsky rents a large, pleasant two-storied house.
On the ground floor are the living quarters of those com-
rades wt:o aid hi-., are, of the cook:, a pleasant German
wom+n. Above are the quarters of his immediate family
(including his wife and grandson) and his office, library
and study.
I was taken into the study where Trotsky was working
on the second volume of his "History of the Russian Revolu-
tion." 'hat I so% wee a strongly-built, stocky, medium-
sized figure of 63 or se.
Exile apparently has not withered his strength, even
though the climate has given hi-_ the malaria from which
he suffered intensely in hot weather and though he is on
a diet due to stomach trouble.
:TS 8NA
Trotsky Is Combination of Qracc and strength
His familiar thick manes of hair, formerly Jet black,
is now streaked with gray. But his eyes still snap behind
the
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the thick glasses, and his time features hold all their
aggressiveness. The strong, wall-shaped hands, broad
bask, graceful carriage, healthy, glowing tanned skin, the
brilliant smile that illumines all his features, every-
thing about ' `rotaky euggestr a combination of grace and
strength, of brilliance and reserve, of biting humor
and relentless determination.
He speeke slowly and decisively, like his written stale
compact with thought# one scintiuistinc with striking
rhresea. """he style to the mean" indeed.
Trotz) y showed a tremendous catholicity of views.
We talked of China, India, t eraany, Italy, Spain, America,
'Pussis, the Negro question, the labor party question in
America, the world economic crisis, the rersonal traits
of the loading motors on the `uropean political stage
today, literature, military tactics; on all these questions
'rotaky showed himself a broadly informed man with
unusue . penetration. I asked him:
"bet do you think of the German situation?
"To no, Trotzky replied, "COMAny is the key to the
International ri tustion. Lot us look at the last - Japan
will not attack nuseiee iaa todietely. In Asia things go
more slowly. Japan will have bar hands full for a while
with Yanehuria, which can well become for her what
oroeeo was to the Spanish dynasty.
"Waysides, Japan has far too much respect for the new
Rod ,rmy of Russia to try war without a guaranty from the
West.
"The at is decisive.. It the world Is to turn
communist it must cone from the contradictions in the
'pest. lad the key to the West, to kurore, lies in
Germany,"
"In the fees of these eoraditione, it is disturbing
to find that all working Blass revolutions in Osrmany have
boon defeated, that the Communist r arty does not grow,
and, to cap it all, a great growth of !aseisa is tokinc
place under the direction of Pitler ?s Nazis."
"that o you consider the recta n for this growth
Fascism?" I asked. "And what will beevme of it?"
"1 itler in power signifies t1 . actual masa:8croe of the
Communists and their virtual elimination, together with
the destruction of the German trade unions.
""lush developments Out down the Communist parties
everywhere. They remove the greatest obstacle to a world
war against soviet lussia - namely, the resistance of the
organized international working class.
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-3-
PREt IC
'.United lutes-evict Conflict
" tovieet Russia cannot remain I e'"initeirv Co aiat
if the workerm elsewhere cannot aid it, despite the inter-
nal strength of Russia, fortified by the five-year plan.'
I quest ion> d ' tzky as to his opinions on sae rice.
"America,'" he said, "it the great reserve of world
capitalism. The 'nited :rtstees is the very antithesis of
the 'evict Union a:d sooner or later these two titans
must some to a life-acid-death grip.
"This, of course, does not prevent them from hawing
many things temporarily in soon, as the hostility to
Japan's onct urien adventure, the absence of both the
United Mates and the :::owlet union from the League of
Nations, and the trade and technical relations between
sesrioa and '"ussia showed.
"f"or l,seriea has to fight not only Russia, but the
Fritisb mpire and the attempt to organize a United :Mates
of Turope against tree power of iemerica. As capitalist
turope had striven to 'J sriesulso' itself industrially,
so A&erte ? will become 'Europeanized' politically."
"And heat chance is there for a strong Communist
party in the r*. S. I.?" I queried.
"'There is no doubt in my nine,," on his answer, "that
now in the united 6tates class linen will have to be openly
recognized and a mass workers' party emerge.
Cpl'`
Trotzky r hsrec to rizzs y. Communi sst xarty
"Whether s ich e Party will take the form of a labor
party, in the Y:ngl ish **no*, or the mass growth of a
4oeielisst or Cem munie t party or se unique combination,
it is difficult to say, but it is quite certain that
whether In the worst period of the crisis, or when a
possible upturn takes place, such a close politics will
*rise.
"But your Noesiel,ist and communist movement* are the
worst of any," he exclaimed. "'There is no oelaliet party
so corrupt as the American one, no Communist party so crude
as the Communist party of the United States, and no 'Right
1mg' group of Communists to crassly opportunist as the
American. Aut the leac-ors of these *lowest* will be rushed
aside by the virile working class movements that are
hound to *rise.
"ibould a Labor party be organized by such a sponta-
neously arising working class movement it is the duty of
the Communists, even if they bane to join it, constantly
to criticize it end expose its limitedness.
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On no account mutt the Co unists help to organize
a Labor party, but Must build a Commauni o t party in
opposition to it."
It is evident that Trotzky*e years of exile and
imprisonment have not impaired him in the least. I
have sewn hi= at work from early morning %III late at
night. a have go-me fishing together at 3 in the l orn-
Lag and T have seen his retire the some evening only at
11 or 12 o*oloo!c.
?lshing now is his great hobby. And to fish with
Trotsky is in itself greet sport.
To we toh him cunningly creep up on the places where
he thought firh might sboun- and deftly screed the nets
around, to see trim seize the rooks previously collected
in the host and burl them in the water, driving t):e fish
into the arts; to see his eyes sparkle and his enthusiasm
Crow as tt+ note mould be brought up loaded with
beautiful erecimens; to share his humor as the fish were
picked from the net and collected and to enjoy with
him tte fish caught that day at the dinrer table - t .ir
was 4 pleasure indeed.
ormetimes the fishin was not so good, Then `'rotzc:y?s
face would reflect this great failure of man against
nature. 'e would stay out all morning. Natalia, his wife,
would grow anxious and send the outboard motor boat (of
rmertean make) after acs with breakfast and sometimes with
dinner. is would eKt breed and choose and perhaps on egg
on the ?oat one ro or fishing.
Trotzky indeed it n Inveterate fisherman, going out
in all kinds of weather, much to the worry of all of us
and to the discomfort of t,.e polio* guards, especially one.,
when a stores coming up on the F4a of Zarmaora drove the
little rowboat on the. rocks where Trotzky was stranded and
drenched all night.
Trotsky Fishes In All kinds of #eaather.
14owever, fishing cannot quite take the plane of hunt
a sport which Trotsky misses. #!e is a very good shot.
Once, laup'-.ingly, s pointed out now difficult it was to
shoot wild ducks with a ristol, end then, seeing awe riding,
the waves far from s, tried to got it with his automatic
The dusk started duekir when Trotsky began to shoot.
It is well that `rrotxky knows how to shoot, for he
may be called uxion to use that art. Tens of thousands
of old Russisn "'hits Guards reside lp Ietflnbul, many of
we po fishing,, anxiously ee seen the shore without
lettin t ho "Old 'man" know of it, to see if there is some-
one larking in the woods to take a shot.
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As wo sat, so ooss patrols the grounds; a guard
is kept all night watehia the pisoe; but evea those
presaatioas taasot be very effeetife. ohot eouid a
little guard of three men do if a real s$toek were madel
A" tkerv to no questlo* that with his d.atb a truly
great ran weald leave the sooae.
Copyright, 1933, by N. Y. Aaerioen, Ins.
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