The speculation which has been rife during the last few weeks as to the fate of the Soviet commander, Marshal Bluecher, seems to have been justified, and the conclusion that he has been dismissed is probably correct. The honours list issued in connection with the Changkufeng Affair contains no mention of him, and the appointment of General Cern as Commander of the First Special Red Banner Far Eastern Army, is sufficient indication that the Marshal has been pushed into abeyance, if not something even worse. The manner in which leading figures in the Soviet army have disappeared during the past few years justifies the opinion that military leaders will always be regarded with suspicion by the Kremlin. There is the danger that the personal qualities of the commanders may endear them to the men, and that with such support they may be able to threaten the Government. Marshal Voroshiloff has up to the present managed to avert the sinister suspicions of Moscow, and it was thought Marshal Bluecher would similarly succeed. For some time, however, it has been apparent that his position has been insecure, and the fact that he has been removed will surprise few who pay any particular interest to Russian affairs His omission from the honours list is sufficient indication of his being in disfavour and of the fact that Moscow considered itself powerful enough so far as he was concerned completely to ignore whatever merit his performance at Changkufeng showed. What will happen to him now will remain a matter of speculation until his fate is known, but if he follows so many of his brother officers into the shadows of communistic liquidation it will cause no very great surprise. A military career in Russia is not to be recommended. There is so much room at the top of the profession, where the pruning still remains drastic.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.