Uninviting Russia

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XIV, Issue 234, 10 September 1924, Page 5

Uninviting Russia

Conditions To-day A JOURNALIST’S EXPERIENCES. PEOPLE IN COWED SUBJECTION. IBy Cable—Press Association--Copyright.) London, Sept. 8. Tho “Daily Chronicle” has commenced a series of from a Russian special correspondent /who has spent months mixing with all classes. He tells how a handful of determined mon hold '140,000,000 in fear and sub jcction. He says Russia is the Tibet of Europe. All Russians, are strangely sensitive. “Wejaro not civilised,” they keep saying. The worst period was in 1920-21, when a complete stoppage was'threatened. There was no regular water supply and hardly any sanitation. The free ration of the State consisted of worm-eaten herrings and portions of bread doled out to last a month. | Things are much better now, though Moscow is still the most expensive place in the world for a foreigner. Hot baths cost 7s. The {hotels are fairly clean and comfortable, but are run. very inefficiently, as the managers are Com munists chosen>for party loyalty. Every body wants to live in Moscow and few remain in the provinces except from slicer necessity. (There were 2,500,000 in Moscow before the war, but the population has since increased enormously ami over-crowding is appalling. Five or more people are frequently herded in one room. Shop windows are full of brightly coloured caricatures of religious things. They are revolting to a religious man, but artistic quality is not lacking in these blasphemous productions. The State is all powerful everywhere. Moscow' resembles London during the war. All hostels and big blocks*of buildings arc, taken by Government departments. It is a city of bureaucrats. —(A. and N.Z.) f __ ANTI-BOLSHEVIKS SUSPECTS SHOT. Moscow, Sept. 9. Twenty-four suspected of being irnplicated in the anti-Bolshevik revolt in Georgia have been executed.— (Router). BANKERS TURN DOWN LOAN. (Received 10. 1.35 p.m.) London, Sept. 9. Mr C. S. Grenfell, director of the Bank of England, in a letter to the 1922 Club, condemned the Russian loan, on the ground that the larger gart of the money would be devoted to ommunist propaganda. He concludes: “We would be great fools to lend money to the Soviet Government.”— (A. and N.Z.)