ABSTRACT
In May 1924 was held the Thirteenth Pan-Russian Congress, with 748 delegates, and 881 members of the Party. Stalin had to defend himself on another ground: that of ideology. Trotzky, as usual, insisted that the Russian revolution must be regarded as the first chapter of the world revolution. When a new Central Committee had to be elected, Stalin flatly rejected Zinoviev's proposal that Trotzky and his supporters should no longer be elected. Stalin decided upon a measure of which he alone foresaw the future consequences. The triumvirate must be transformed into a septet, by the addition of Rykov, Bukharin, Tomsky and Molotov. When the new Politburo had been appointed, Stalin assembled all its members, with the exception of Trotzky, in his apartment. The proposal was accepted. Mekhliss recorded the gist of it in a secret minute which was signed by each of those present. The triumvirate was at an end—but Stalin's power increased enormously.
