The Degree of Adulation

All this may be conceded. But why, it may be asked, does the identification of Stalin with the successes of socialism take such a lavish and ill-expresses form? Praise Stalin if you wish"—" we admit he may be worthy of it"—"but for Heaven's sake do it with moderation! Your excesses merely nauseate us cold-blooded English!

Pat Sloan, in his book 'Soviet Democracy,' confesses that he 'was often unfavourably impressed by the lavish way in which love and praise of Stalin was expressed! But one day, he happened to see a letter from a young Russian worker to his brother, which began 'Honoured beloved brother.' Sloan suggested to the worker that he should simply write 'Dear brother,' and the worker was literally shocked. Doubts gave way to a clearer understanding.

Inaccurate translations, deliberate misinterpretations, and the failure of translators to grasp the Russian idiom are at the bottom of many of the popular misconcep page 15 tions as to 'Stalin-worship.' The languages of the Russian peoples are what we call 'flowery,' like all Eastern languages. The Russian is naturally exuberant in his choice of words. So were the authors of the New Testament.

Consider the quite irrational wording of everyday commercial correspondence in English-speaking countries. We write 'Dear So-and-so' to our deadliest enemy, and receive 'esteemed favours' from business rivals, without a qualm. These forms of expression are woven into our language. They do not imply servility or absence of equality; a lawyer's 'learned friend' and a politician, respectively an ignoramus and a rogue, yet such expressions are not considered unethical. In a similar way, but with full sincerity, the words 'great and beloved' are naturally linked with 'Stalin' in the Soviet Union. And, it may be added, with a great deal more reason than swayed the English House of Commons during their curious fit of hysterics at the time of Munich.