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Moscow Deciding Question of Successor to Mr. Lenine

Continuance of Group System of Administering Premiership Has Yet to Be Determined

Moscow, Jan 23

The question of appointing a successor to Nikolai Lenine has already been raised. The administrative functions of the Premier recently were divided between three men, Leo Kameneff, president of the Moscow Soviet, Mr. Rykoff, president of the Supreme Economic Council, and Mr. Tsurupa, former Food Minister, although important decisions were adopted by the Communist Party’s central committee.

No authoritative information is available as to whether the group system of administering the Premiership is to remain, or a definite successor is to be appointed. It is generally understood that this question, with other problems raised by the situation, will receive attention at the Union Soviet Congress meeting here next week. Closing a party conference, J. V. Stalin, in a speech yesterday, combined glowing praise of Mr. Lenine with a severe criticism of Leon Trotzky for disobeying and discrediting the central committee.

The following passages illustrate the tenor of the speech, “Of course, we students of Mr. Lenine understand that Mr. Lenine was the genius of geniuses, and such people are born only in centuries. We have only one leader, Mr. Lenine. That is why we often said that in the present condition of the absence of Mr. Lenine we must hold the course for a collegium.

In view of the crushing defeat of Mr. Trotzky’s partisans at the party conference, it seems unlikely that any individual will inherit the authority of Mr. Lenine. The present group leading the majority of the central committee, including J.V. Stalin, Leo Kameneff, and F. C. Zinovieff, seems firmly entrenched in control of the party and the government.

Moscow is absolutely quiet, with large crowds around newspaper offices and news stands, and the public buildings are decorated with signs of mourning.