RUSSIA AND RELIGION.

Evening Star, Issue 21129, 15 June 1932, Page 9

RUSSIA AND RELIGION.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —Notwithstanding the numerous publications and books on the great Russian venture it seems (if a letter signed “Common Courtesy” is any criterion) that we have much yet to do to dispel prejudice and lack of knowledge of conditions pertaining iu the Soviet Union. While it is true that the words, “ Religion is the opium of the people,” are seen iu Russia, this surely is a challenge to those who profess any or every brand of religion to prove by their actions that it has a value iii bringing about a state of affairs whereby every person is guaranteed the prime essentials of a full life, with some luxuries added. I think this a reasonable interpretation to place on the meaning of religion. In Russia, freedom to preach and profess any religious belief is allowed. If any particular brand cares to set up business and can pay its way it is at liberty to go ahead. One would. I think, easily infer from “ Common Courtesy’s ” letter that better and more tolerable conditions were allowed under the Tsar’s legime. If lam correct in so inferring, your correspondent, I fear, will have to delve a little more into pre-Soviet history before he makes that statement or even infers it. Let him get hold of a copy of Dr Angelo S. Rappoport’s book, ‘ Pioneers of the Russian Revolution,’ and ho will surely be convinced that the present rulers have acted mildly in comparison, notwithstanding that many of them had suffered under the late Tsar’s regime. Take little Clara Tcthin, who had served twenty-three years in exile and was allowed her freedom alter the Soviets took charge, a white-haired little old woman, broken in body, but not in spirit, for the

opinions she expounded. Again, let your correspondent read; “Communism and Christianism,’ by Bishop William Montgomery Brown, D.D., of Ohio, wherein he says: “Banish gods from skies and capitalists from earth. The overthrow of capitalism in Russia, is the greatest event in the history of the world, and it has converted international Socialism (the Marxian revolutionary kind) from a theory into a condition. In less than three years revolutionary Socialism in Russia has accomplished more for the liberation and emancipation of the workers of the world than all the States and all the churches with all their wars have done in the whole course of man’s career, extending through at least two hundred thousand years. On the contrary, what progress has been made towards them was made in spite of their strenuous opposition at every step.” Let me also quote Major Pharazyn, an accountant and company manager in business in Melbourne, who was recently in Russia and is in New Zealand to-day. He says■ “It is time the nations stopped talking rot about Russia and faced the problem of what will happen when the Rive-Year Plan and the other schemes in Russia are completed, as soon as possible. Russia is the one country in Europe where there are no beggars and no unemployed, and the growing nation is well nourished and sufficiently clad. The workers do not grumble. There are no signs of luxury, and there appears to be more money than goods. The organisation behind the Five-Year Plan is astounding, and although it is admitted that there have been small failures in some of the details there is no question about the general success of the scheme. It has been said that the workers generally are starved, bus I did not find this to be so. There are vast community kitchens, some of which serve 45,000 meals a day, which cost about Bd. My wife and 1 enjoyed the food served to us in one of these. Again, I have before me the May issue of ‘ Current History,’ containing an article written by Mr Louis Fischer, under the heading of ‘ Soviet Recognition of the Intellectual.’ I commend this article to your correspondent. This is recent information, printed from month to month, and is right up to date. I have also before me the May issue of ‘ The Soviet To-day,’ in which up-to-date information is given of the progress of the Five-Year Plan. There is also an article by Mrs L. Malcolm, who has just visited Russia, on ‘ Wives, Husbands, and Homes.’ Some of their methods in Russia far and away eclipse anything we have here, and in the course of a few more years Soviet Russia, if allowed to travel her path peaceably, will astonish us, not only here but elsewhere. This is the conclusion even of those who are opposed to Socialism as a system.—l am, etc., P. Neilsox. June 13.