Moscow, Oct. 31
No direct mention of the Soviet purge was made by M. Joseph Stalin, Soviet leader, when he made his first public speech in seven months on Friday, but in speaking to leaders and workers of the metallurgical and coal industry at the Kremlin, he said, "Unfortunately some ' of our leaders failed to understand they must keep the faith of the people. Leaders come and go, while the people remain. It is only the people who are immortal. Therefore, one must know how to value the trust of the people."
He then toasted the "health of all our economists who understand the important role of leaders in Soviet economy."—United Press,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.