RUSSIA: To Review Progress

To review the progress of the past year the Central Executive Committee, the highest organ of the Soviet Government, met in the Uritsky Palace, Leningrad, which, as St. Petersburg and later Petrograd, was the capital of Russia under the Tsars.

A flurry was caused by the arrival of Leon Trotzky and Gregory Zinoviev, leaders of the Communist Opposition, recently deposed from their official positions in the Third (Communist) International (TIME, Dec. 6, 1926, & Oct. 10). Still members of the Central Executive Committee, their presence gave rise to much speculation. Would they address the Committee? Would their attitude be compromise or further defiance? Would the Committee oust them? These were questions that Leningraders and Communists asked themselves.

The Uritsky Palace, onetime Taurid Palace, was built by Catherine the Great for her lover, Gregory Aleksandrovitch Potemkin. It was there, 21 years ago, that the first Duma (Parliament) met, only to be suppressed by the fiat of the Autocrat of All the Russias, Nicholas II.