MODERN RUSSIA

Evening Star, Issue 21319, 25 January 1933, Page 12

MODERN RUSSIA

MISS N. SGAHLAN’S VIEWS ‘There seem to be two fundamental errors in the efforts at rcconsti notion which arc being made in Russia, and they are the attack on the homo and the campaign against religion, said Miss Nolle Scanlan, the New Zealand authoress, in describing her observations at a luncheon of the Wellington Travel lien’s League recently. Miss Scanlan said machines appeared to be the God of Russia. She had seen a museum converted into an institution for anti-religious propaganda. Worship and fait* were concentrated on the Five Year Plan. ‘‘They are turning the home into a sort of glorified boarding house,” Miss Scanlan added. “ You can be married for about two shillings and divorced for something like one and ninepence.” . From the other point of view, it could be said in Russia’s favour that it at least had a plan to work for. “ There is something to be commended in the fact that they are doing something,” said Miss Scanlan. “ When they find a theory does not work they are not too stubborn to refuse to throw it overboard. Now they are giving graded wages and are paying a bonus to speed things up. It seems to mo that in the end they will pick the eyes out of the old capitalism, which, shorn of its barnacles, may produce a system which will suit thorn. I do not think their ideals would fit in with British people. After all, they arc more Asiatic than European, and many of their standards would not suit us.’