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

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-01226R000100120009-1
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 21, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 10, 2008
• Sequence Number: 9
• Content Type: REPORT

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COPT -cts
Compared
Mit YORK !CA,
APR ' 16, 1q33.
RUSSIA C1NNOT REWAIN COMM( L.TIC, Tr
ELLZIMERY. DC NOT It - TRCT7,ET
?ors' r ksderC4axded in Exile
It was my good fortune to spend three weeks with
Leon Devidowieh Trotsky.
For this privilege T wee willing to travel the six
thousand miles fro* New York City to Turkey. From
Istanbul. I made the last lap in a little steamer that
sailed out of the Oolden Horn to the island of 9uyuk A a
(Prink! ) in the tea of Varmora.
There, facing the as., surrounded by * high well, wes
the house of Trotsky.
I went to the gate. A swarthy Turkish sposiel officer
barred ay way.
The illusion of 'vaeation
was not "vacation," but exile,
jail. The prisoner eould walk
boat and fish, but alweye with
at once evaporsted. This
an not only exile but
about, he eould take his
the animal's at his side.
Trotsky rents a lime, pleasant two-storied house.
On the ground floor are the living quarters of those com-
rades/who aid hi%, and of the Gook, a pleasant Gorman
woman. Above ars tuo querters of his immediate family
(ineludinr his wife srt grandson) and his office, library
end study.
I was taken into the study where Trotsky was working
on the seeond volume of his 91stcry of the Russian Revolu-
tion." -lost I few wee 4 strongly-built, stocky, medium-
silted figure of 6a or So.
Exile apparently has not withered his strength, even
though the ?limas his given him the malaria from which
he suffered intensely in hot weather and though he is on
a diet due to stoaaeh trouble.
FTES SNAP
Trotsky Is Combination or after and Strength
R s familiar thick mane of hair, formerly jet ilack,
is now streaked with gray. Rut his eyes still snap behind
the
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the thick las,ea, and his es hold all their
aggressiveness. The strong plod bands, broad
beak, glassful carriage, healthy, glowing tanned skin, the
brilliant smile that illumines s his features), every-
thing shout Trotzky euggests a eombination of grace and
strength, of 'willies'se end reserve of biting humor
and relentless determination.
Pe speaks slowly and deelailely, like iis arit en ?t le,
**upset with thought, and teintillating with striking
rhreses. The style is the man' indeed.
Trotzky showed a tremendous catholicity of views.
4 talked of China, India, Cernany, Ttely, petr, 4neries,
Pussia, ta regro question, the labor party- question in
Aseries, the world econosie crisis, the nersonil traits
of the leading toter* on the fAmopeon polities' stage .
today, literature, military %Wilts: on all these questions
Trotzky showed himself a broadly informed men with
unusue% penetration. I larked him:
"'That do you think of the Cernan itustion?
"TO me, Trotzky rep ed. Oormany is the key to the
international ritustior Lvt us look at the 7ast - Japan
will not attach quasi* immediately. In Asia things go
more slowly. Japan will have her hands full for ? while
with lenehuria, which can well become for her 'dot
'orosioo was to the Swish dynasty.
"Monides, Japan has far too such reereet for the new
Asid 4rmy of ussia to try war without a guaranty from the
gest.
"The West is decisive,. If the world is to turn
Communist it suet epee frost the eontradietions in the
'est. And the key to the west, to 7.urope, lies in
Germany.'
"In the fees of Vito* conditlon, it is disturbing
to find that all working *loss revolution, in Germany have
boon defeated, that the Communist tarty does not grow,
and, to sap it all, a greet growth of !fuels* is takinn
pleee under the direction of itler's Nazis."
"thet do you consider the reason for this growth of
Fesciam7" I asked. And what will bosom, of it!'"
"Hitler In power elgnifies te ostual masheere of the
Communists and their virtual elimination, together with
the destruction of the Germain trade unions.
"Such devolonmeuts cut down the Communist parties
everywhere. They remove the greatest obstacle to a world
war against :'-oviet ;Tussle - !wisely, the resistance of the
organized international working class.
TRzu
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FREI:ICTS
'%tted :As es-Boviet Confliet
"soviet Russia cannot reasin lode initely Communist
if the workers elsewhere cannot aid it, despite the inter-
nal strength of Puss's, fortified by the five-year plan.
I questionod Trotzky as to his opinions on 41402110a.
"aeries," he said, "is the great reserve of world
capitalism. The ;Initial ;:itates is the very antithesis of
The :oviet Union end sooner or later these two titans
must come to a life-and-death grip.
"This, of course, does not prevent them from having
many things twnporerily In common, as the hostilit
Japan's Vancturian adventure, the absence Of both
nited States and the -oviet nion from the LOWAO of
Nations, and the trade and technical relations between
i.merlea and 7ussia showed.
"Yor !merlea baa to fight not only Russia, but the
F;ritieh 'Afare and the etteart to organise a United 0tstes
of Europe against the rower of Amer's*. As eapitalist
loarope had striven to 'Anorieatise itself irdustrisliy,
so Ameriev vill become '7uropeentsed? politically."
"And whet change is there for a strong Communist
party in the 7. P, I.?" 1 queried.
There is no douht in my mine,"
now in the isited titatea class lines
reeognieed and a mass worker.' party
CRUIF
was his answer, "that
will have to be openly
emerge.
So Trotsky clurecterizes' Communiet Party
'-,,hether tNeh e narty will take the fors of a labor
party, In the 11nglizh sense, or the mass growth of a
:.'oeiallet or Communipt perty or some unique eombination
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 plea*, such a class polities will
arise.
"But your .,ocialist and Co waist movements are the
worst of any, he exclaimed. There is no boeislist party
so corrupt as the Amerieen one, MO Communist party so crude
as the Communist party of the United States, and no 'Right
'king' group of Communists so Grossly opportunist as the
Amorists. 3ut the leaers of these elements will be -ushed
aside by the virile working oleos movements that are
ound to arise.
"hould a
neously arising
the Commanistes
to criticise it
abor party be organized by such a ?ponts-
.orkiq class movement it is the duty of
even if they have to join it, constantly
and expose its limitedness.
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On no aecount must the CommuniCts help to organize
a Labor party, but must build ? Communist party in
opposition to it.
It is evident that Trotsky's years of exile end
imprisonment have not impaired him in the least. I
have soon hl at work from early morning till late at
night. we have gone fishing together at 3 in the morn-
Lag and I have seen him retire the same evening only at
11 or 12 o'clock.
Fishing now is hie great hobby. And to fish with
Trotsky is in itself great sport.
TO watoh him cunningly creep up on the places where
he thought fish might abounc and daftly arreed the nets
around, to see him seize the rocks previously collected
in the boat and hurl thou in the wailer, driving the fish
into the nets; to se. his eyes sparkle and his onthuslasm
grow as the nets would be brought up loaded with
beautiful srocimens; to *hare his humor as the fish were
picked from the net sad collected and to enjoy with
him tilt fish caught that day at the dinner table - this
was a pleasure indeed.
&ometimee the fishing was not so good. Then Trotsky's
face would Wiest this great failure of man against
nature. re would stay out all morning. Natalia, his wife,
would grow anxious and send the outboard motor boat (of
imorlean make) after us with breakfast and sometimes with
dinner. ,Le would stet breed end cheese and perhaps en egg
on the ?)oat end go or fishing.
Trotsky indeed Le ton inveterate fisherman, going out
in all kinds of weather, mush to the worry of all of us
and to the discomfort of tLe pollee guards, ospeelally once
when a storm coming up on the soa of Marmora drove the
littlo rowboat on the rocks when' Trotsky was stranded and
drenched ell night.
AT
Trotsky fishes in All Kinds of Teather.
However, fishing Cannot quite take the ploce of bunting,
a sport which Trotzky misees. Re is a very good shot.
Once, laucel.ngly, pointed out how difficult it was to
shoot wild dueks with a r,istol, and then, seeing one riding
the waves far from us, tried to get it with his automatic
The duok started ducking when Trotsky began to shoot.
It is well that Trotzky knows how to shoot, for he
may be c lied upon to use that art. Tans of thousands
of old !'wasien Mit. Guards reside in Istp,nbul, many of
whoa frequent t'uyuk Ada.
AS we g0 fishing, anxiously we seen the shore without
lotting the "Old Man" know of it, to see if there is some-
one lurking in the woods to take a shot.
AS
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II re eit, someone pstrol.. the grounds; a
Is kept all ntgrt watching the place; but even t
presnutiont sennot be very effective. rbet sou
little guard of three man do if a real atteek were
And there is no question thet with bis death a truly
greet an sotald leave the seen..
Co right, 1943, by V.
erlean, Inc.
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