Speaking Up

A weekly look at noteworthy addresses in the Southland. Moscow Mayor Gavriil Popov addressed the Los Angeles World Affairs Council on Tuesday. From his address:

Threat of Fascist Takeover “One has to realize that the country finds itself in a very difficult situation. For six years it was waiting for the changes promised by the Communists. . . . All these hopes were in vain. It left those hopes and it started to support the democrats. Again, the democrats have been in power . . . and there are no sizable changes. And if they continue to remain in power for another year and there are no palpable results then what would an ordinary man do? What does he have to do? He says, ‘OK, I am not happy with the Communists. I do not want the democrats, either.’ He would start looking for the third force. From history we know that when both democrats and Communists lose power--the fascists take it.”

The Food Shortage “If we do experience difficulties, it will be largely due to the fact that we lack the structures, the mechanism, which would bring this produce . . . to the population. . . . Soviet farms do not want to sell their produce because they do not want money to devalue, they fear it, so what would they need this worthless paper for?. . . . The leaders of republics and regions started to guard their borders to see that no foodstuffs are being exported from the republics. So on the whole, we have enough food in the country but the whole system of management makes the food supply insufficient. Therefore, I am fully convinced that although we will need some aid during this winter, the main thrust of this aid should be toward the development of free enterprise and free markets.”

Russia’s Future “I am absolutely convinced that we do have the conditions in order to become an ordinary democratic state. We have enough land to feed ourselves, we have enough natural resources, we have enough energy resources. Its high time to create a normal society, a society of entrepreneurs which will . . . fully utilize the resources we possess.”

Looking Ahead * Today: James R. Schlesinger, former secretary of defense and CIA director, will address Town Hall of California at noon at the Sheraton Grande Hotel. For information call (213) 628-8141.

* Monday: Rauf Raif Denktas, President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, will speak to the Los Angeles World Affairs Council at noon at the Biltmore Hotel. For information call (213) 628-2333.

Announcements concerning prominent speakers in Los Angeles should be sent to Speaking Up, care of Times researcher Michael Meyers, Los Angeles Times, Times Mirror Square, Los Angeles, Calif. 90053.