To the Editor of the "Norrn-Cuuna Darcy News"
Si—Mr. D. Bratkovsky's letter in your correspondence columns on March 2 shows his entire lack of sympathy for the Soviet Government's methods of spring-cleaning. With the advent of Spring (earlier this year than usual) the said government is now holding: its annual "purge" with the idea of balancing its budget, preparatory to submitting its ledger to the unholy scrutiny of accountants.
With the debit side of the ledger containing entries against cost of armaments, salaries, squeeze, etc., the credit columns must present a somewhat bleak aspect. Hence the desire to balance the budget by eliminating the salaried heads of various departments, and transferring their salaries, incomes and assets to the credit side.
In re the late and possibly lamented Menjinsky and Kuibysheff some mention must be made of them to cover the fact that someone is drawing their salaries. This may seem rather difficult to hide, but one must bear in mind the vagaries and conveniences of the demise of any citizen of that country. A trip through the government's subterranean lodging houses (also known as dungeons) will produce' traces of people who have conveniently patronized the Death Columns of the Soviet press. Unless, of course, if one believes in ghosts.
The "silly season" has accounted for many an individual's strange actions, so-why not a government'
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.