DEVELOPMENT OF A NATION

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21793, 27 May 1936, Page 16

DEVELOPMENT OF A NATION

RUSSIA AS A WORLD POWER IMPRESSIONS OF CHRISTCHURCH VISITOR The remarkable development of Soviet Russia during the last few years was commented on yesterday by Mr Leo Sim, general secretary to the New Zealand Communist party, who just returned to the Dominion, after attending the seventh world conference of communism in Leningrad.; Mr Sim spent nearly a year in during which time he had an oppor-| lunity of studying many phases of the' Soviet regime. After the revolution, said Mr Sim, Soviet Russia had been compelled to export large quantities of _ primary produce to obtain the machinery required from the other powers. Now the Russians had their own machinery built m their own country. Soviet] Russia was now the greatest indus-j trial power in Europe, and the second! greatest in the world. Before the revo-j lution the nation had held only fifth} place. The first two years in the second} five-vear plan had indicated that, in' the majority of industries, the plans] had been more than fulfilled. In every part of the Soviet Union that he had visited he had seen tremendous works in the course of construction, and the unbounded enthusiasm for the new social order had been very evident wherever he had gone. It was quite 1 • common thing to hear labourers and workers talking of the progress that* w as being made. Cultural Development

In medicine, art, opera, and educa-| tion it was generally agreed by the! outstanding scientists that had visited: the country recently that nowhere else in the world were such facilities available for the development of these; phases in life. The architecture, too,] was of the highest order. The first) completed line of the Metro (the great underground railway) was, in his cupiwinw a fine piece of architecture.' Of the 13 stations on the line no two were of the same design. All these stations were built of different beau-j tiful shades of marble and had most' effective lighting. ~ It was obvious, continued Mr Sim, that from the development of the -light" and "heavy" industries, and the great strides that had been taken in the building up a collective system of agriculture, that the Soviet Union was now a potential nation. Practically all the goods and machinery necessary for use by the Soviet people were produced in Russia. There been some debate as to the object of the Red army and air fleet. These military units were intended solely for defence, as the wish of the people was definitely against bloodshed. At the same time, the Soviet Union did not cherish any illusions about the attacks that were likely to come from outside imperialistic powers. The’ Soviet did not want other colonies, as she possessed all the natural resources that were necessary to her. Medical Attention Free

Another notable advantage was that aU medical attention given in the country was free. All workers received a fortnight s holiday on full pay. and those who were engaged in any particularly dangerous calling received a month’s holiday. There was no unemployment in Russia. The Soviet people were convinced in their own romds that the rest of the world would be forced to follow the example set by their system.