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

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-01226R000100120007-3
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 21, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 10, 2008
• Sequence Number: 7
• Content Type: REPORT

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COPY - ?L,: S
Compared rw..r.rr..
sOtT CP: TORE A' RICAN,
APR I T. 15 0 1933.
RUSSIA C 4NNOT MAIN CO YUN1 TIC , If ORii R$
EL:. RWHTR , DO NOT AID - T tC T?ZY
former Leader Cu?erded in Exile
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was my good fortune to spend three weeks with
Loon Devidowich Pratzky.
For this privilege I was willing to travel the six
thousand miles from New York City to Turkey. From
Istanbul, I made the last lap in a little steamer that
sailed out of the Golden Horn to the island of Ruyuk Ads
(Prinkipo) in the Sea of Wormers.
There, facing the sea, surrounded by a high well, was
the house of Trotsky.
I went to the gets. A swarthy Turkish spesial officer
barred my way.
The illusion of "vacation" at once evaporated. 't'his
was not "vacation," 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 sho aid him, and of the cook, a pleasant German
women. Above are trio quarters of his immediate family
(including his wife and graandson) 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." 's'hat I as* was a strongly-built, stocky, medium-
sized figure of 53 or so.
g=ile apparently has not withered his strength, even
though the climate has given him, the malaria from which
he suffered intensely in hot weather and though he is on
a diet due to stomach trouble.
Trotsky Is Combination of freer and strength
His familiar think mane of heir, formerly jet black,
is now streaked with gray. But his eyes still snap behind
the
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the thick glasses, and his firm features hold all their
aggressiveness. The strong, well-shaped hands, broad
book, graceful carriage, healthy, glowing tanned skin, the
brilliant smile that iiltaines all his features, every-
thing shout Trotzky suggests a combination of grace and
strength, of brilliance and reserve, of biting humor
and relentless determination.
'e spooks slowly and decisively, like his written style,
compact with thought, and aeointiliating with striking
rhreses. "The style is the man" Indeed.
'''rotaky showed a tremendous catholicity of views.
We talked of China, India, Germany, Itr~ly, Spain, America,
Russia, the Negro question, the labor party question in
.aeries, the world economic crisis, the Personal traits
of the leading motors on the European political etas*
today, literature, military tactics; an all these questions
Trotzky showed himself a broadly informed man with
unusual penetration. I asked him:
"Whet do you think of the German situation?
"TO me, 'i'rotzky replied, "Germany is the key to the
interns tional situation. Lot us look at the .ast - Japan
will not attack tsussia immediately. In Asia things go
more slowly. Japan will have her hands full for a while
with tfenchuria, which can well become for her what
t',Oroeco was to the Spanish dynasty.
"Besides, Japan has far too such respect for the new
had Army of Russia to try war without a guaranty from the
West.
"The West is decisive. If the world is to turn
communist it must some from the contradictions in the
West. And the key to the West, to Trope, lies in
Germany."
"In the face of these conditions, it is disturbing
to find that all working also* revolutions in Germany have
been defeated, that the Communist party does not grow,
and, to cap it all, a great growth of Fascism is taking
place under the direction of Fitler's Nazis."
"What do you consider the reeaerr n for this growth of
Fascism?" I asked. "And what will become of it""
"Ritler in power s:nifies %b* actual mas>acra of the
Communists and their virtual elimination, together with
the destruction of the Garman trade unions.
"etch developments out down the Communist parties
everywhere. They remove the greatest obstacle to a world
war against Soviet Russia - namely, the resistance of the
organized international working class.
I'R :DICTS
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t 1C T19
United States-"Viet Conflict
":soviet Russia cannot remain inde 'initely commaist
if the workero elrewP.,ere cannot aid it, despite the Inter-
nal strength of Russia, fortified by the five-year plan."
I questioned Protzky as to his Opinions on America.
"America," he said p "is the great reserve of world
capitalism. The United w tates is the very antithesia of
t?e :`evict Union end sooner or later these two titans
must some to a life-and-death grip.
*This, of course, does not prevent them from having
many things temporarily in common, as the hostility to
Japan*s Wanohurien adventure, the absence of both the
United States and the soviet Onion from the League of
Nations, and the trade and technical relations between
America and ussia showed.
"For . aeriea has to fight not only Russia, but the
British Aire and the attempt to organize a United 3tates
of Europe against the power of America. As capitalist
kurope had striven to 'Americanize' itself industrially,
so America will become '1turopeanized' politically."
"And what chance is there for a strong Communist
party in the V. S. I.?" I queried.
"There is no doubt in my aind," was his answer, "that
now In the inited Mates class lines will have to be openly
recognized and a mass workers' party emerge.
CRUrIF
So Trotsky Characterizes T. S. Communist Party
"Whether ouch a r arty will take the form of a labor
party, in the English sense, or the mass growth of a
Socialist or Coamuniot party or some 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 class politics will
arise.
"But your w,oeialist and Communist movements are the
worst of any," he exclaimed. "There is no Socialist party
corrupt as the American one, no Communist party so crude
as the Communist party of the United States, and no 'Right
Ring' group of Communists so crassly opportunist as the
American. r3ut the leaders of these elements will be pushed
aside by the virile working class movements that are
bound to arise.
"Should a Labor party be organized by such a sponta-
neously arising working class movement it is the duty of
the Communists, even If they have to join it, constantly
to criticize it and expose its limitedness.
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"on no account must the communists help to organize
a Labor party, but must build a Communist party in
opposition to It."
it is evident that Trotzky'e years of exile end
imprisonment have not Impaired him in the least. I
have seen hi- at work from early morning till late at
night. we have gone fishing together at 3 In the morn-
ing and T have seen him retire the same evening -only at
11 or 12 o'clock.
Fishing now is his great hobby. i,nd to fish with
Trotsky is in itself great sport.
To watch him cunningly creep up on the places where
he thought fish might ahoune and deftly arread the nets
around, to see him seise the rooks previously collected
in the boat and hurl them in the water, driving the fish
into the note; to see his eyes sparkle and his enthusiasm
grow as the nets would be brought up loaded with
beautiful erecimene; to share his humor as the fish were
picked from the net and collected and to enjoy with
his the flab caught that day at the dinner table - this
was a pleasure indeed.
sometimest the fiehine, was not so good. Then Trotsky's
face would reflect this great failure of man against
nature. 'e would stay out all morning. Natalie, his wife,
would grow anxious and send the outboard motor boat (of
meriean make) after tan with breakfast and sometimes with
dinner. he would ect bread and cheese and perhaps an egg
on the boat and go on fishing.
Trotsky indeed is en inveterate fisherman, going out
in all kinds of weather, much to the worry of all of us
and to the discomfort of t o police guards, especially once,
when a storm coming up on the Sea of Marmora drove the
little rowboat on the rocks where Trotsky was stranded and
drenched all night.
Trotsky Fishes in All Kinds of 'eatheer.
However, fishing cannot quite take the places of hunting,
a sport which Trotsky misses. ?e is a very good shot.
Once, laug'-ingly, he pointed out how difficult it was to
shoot wild ducks with a pistol,. and then, seeing one riding
the waves far from us, tried to get it with his automatic
The duck started ducking when Trotsky began to shoot.
it is well that Trotsky, knows how to shoot, for he
may be called upon to use that art. Tens of thousands
of old Russian hits Guards reside in Iet