RUSSIA TODAY

Northern Advocate, 14 March 1929, Page 3

RUSSIA TODAY

j THOUGH A CO AT AIU NIST’S EYES. ! PEACE AND PROSPERITY. 1 I I 'Flu- result of three-mouths’ observation of Soviet Russia was the subject of a public lecture at the Y.ALC.A. rooms last evening by Air R. F. Griffin, of Wellington, who is a member of the New Zealand Communist Party. “Alost people have extremely vague ideas of strange countries, and Soviet Russia is usually associated with ferocious Bolsheviks, but that is not so” said Air Griffin. Certainly some disorders still existed, but everyone knew of the corrupt government of the Tzars and when the Bolsheviks took charge of the country they entered upon a difficult proposition. In the years 11)22-3 a reconstruction was commenced, and the progress of the country in the following live or six years had been enormous. Travelling into Russia through Poland, -one saw tiie contrast —the highly efficient Polish army, the Prussian type of officer in charge, and the masses of barbed wire dividing the frontiers, and over the border the smilingly efficient Russian officials, who were not of a dominant military | caste and not liable to kill one at a j moment’s notice, /

On -every side wore the peasants’ new houses, built of clean stone, and not of mud, as in Tsarist days. In the cities, also, the new buildings were of a. prosperous and dignified type. Everywhere one saw people well fed and clad ami in good humour, an impression not gained if the Press were studied.

“When the outside symbols of prosperity are gone beyond, the symbols of national gain can be seen, gains that will solve the problem of the human race,” said the speaker. Everywhere were clubs encouraging art and intellectual pursuits. Great progress was being made in factory life. Last year the eight-hour day had been made absolute, and this year the seven-hour day was being introduced. Russian workers had the consciousness that the profits went back to the industry which belonged to them. Wages were 18 to 25 per cent, above pre-w'ar rates. Justice w r as meted out iby judges appointed for 12 months by the District Soviet, and the prisoners were not before a man with ten times his salary, but one with equal .sympathy. There was no capital punishment, except for political offences. Religious freedom was provided, and there was also freedom for. anti-religious .societies. The masses of the young were not going to church, however, but to the clubs, where they w r ere provided with amusements and occupations. There was one point that worried Russian workers, and that was the danger of war, and there was plenty of evidence of preparation for war against Russia. There was the continual shaking of fists by the powers, and even the capitalist Press propaganda and the smoke screens of the Kellogg Pact and the League of Nations, 4vhich in his opinion was simply the central executive of the capitalist parties of the world. "Therefore, when a Russian, worker inquired as fb the danger of warj s ho asked a question that was very real to him. Russia had progressed, and if it were studied one would realise the progress made. A vote of thanks to the speaker concluded the address.