LIFE IN RUSSIA

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 143, 19 June 1931, Page 11

LIFE IN RUSSIA

SOVIET METHODS

"A picture of Soviet Russia was giVen last night by Mr. Lionel 11. Bowe, who lectured at Victoria College under the auspices of the Wellington branch of the New Zealand Historical Association. In introducing the' lecturer, the president of ihe association/Professor Ji\ P. Wilson, said that: Miv Bowe was well versed .in his subject, as he had been bora in Russia, and had served'"witH"tho British forces at-Archangel duriug-the.Great War.

One of the. main . points made by Mr. Bowe was that, although productivity-had greatly increased under the Soviet regime, it had been at. the cost of the froe-wil) of the people. "Machine guns," he remarked; "can keep millions of people under control." Mr. Bowe stated that there was no doubt that.serfdom had returned to Russia; ;it was more than cocvciou. At the same ,time, it had to bo admitted that the Soviet Government bad increased transport, and proposed to increase railways r aii(l Waterways. In 1022 there had been sis and a half million workers, whereas the number to-day was eleven millions. Russia had harnessed the workers of., both sexes. Education had made great strides, tho number of universities .having been increased from 91 to 197, and the number of schools doubled. It was no imcommon sight to see children taking classes of iguorant adults, including their own fathers and mothers." The illiteracy of the peasants had been greatly decreased under the Soviet regime. Electrification of i"ailway« had made great strides, and a railway had been constructed right through to Turkestan, a.nd would, considerably increase .Russian trade with the interior of .Asia. Some 10,000 motor tractors were being turned out inl\ussia each year, and much headway had been made with the construction of roads.