Spontaneous

The number of amendments proposed to the new Russian Constitution grew from 43,000 (TIME. Dec. 7) last week to 154,000. J. Stalin caused all except seven to be put aside. Precisely 2,016 Congress delegates were present punctually at 4 p. m. to vote the Constitution article by article and incessantly cheer the Dictator who modestly buried his nose in a document. In 120 minutes flat each of the 146 articles of the Constitution was voted with machine-like unanimity, every one of the 2,016 delegates raising his Red delegate's card, as the Speaker repeated 146 times: "Those who vote in favor lift your cards."

J. Stalin continued to read, raising his Red card 146 times without looking up. The principal amendment incorporated came as a surprise, insisted on by the French General Staff. They wired from Paris that the original draft of the Constitution looked to them as though Russia could not immediately start fighting Germany should Germany attack France. Still J. Stalin has committed Russia by treaty to go to war in these circumstances (TIME, May 13, 1935. et seq.). Even though few Europeans think she would unless France had a Communist Premier, the Soviet Constitution was promptly amended last week to suit the French General Staff. In factories all over Moscow up went this notice: "COMRADES WILL REPORT IN THE RED SQUARE TOMORROW AT NINE O'CLOCK FOR A GREAT SPONTANEOUS DEMONSTRATION OF THANKFULNESS FOR OUR NEW CONSTITUTION."

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