TROTSKY’S DISEASE

Stockholm, February 16. (From our private correspondent)

The Bolshevik radio stations have just renewed their propaganda concerning the worsening state of Trotsky's health. His flu would have degenerated into heart weakness.

My readers will do me justice for having foreseen this diplomatic aggravation. In reality, without daring to remove a leader of Trotsky's stature, and while retaining nominal functions at the direction of the army, Stalin and Zinovieff wanted to wall off their rival in the Caucasus as long as possible. We must therefore speak not of the worsening of Trotsky's illness, but of the worsening of the new measures taken against him.

Trotsky effectively presented a new memorandum to the politburo, demanding at all costs the democratization of the communist regime. The violent fermentation of the Red Army, despite Djerdzhinsky's efforts to purge the high command, made the government decide to eliminate all Trotsky connections with the outside world. Touchatchevsky, a particularly popular general, made common cause with Trotsky, and taunted the Soviets.

S. DE CHESSIN.