RUSSIA AS AN EXAMPLE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21983, 19 June 1933, Page 9

RUSSIA AS AN EXAMPLE

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —G. Steel writes in your issue of June 15 concerning the Bishop of Waikato holding up Russia's example in relation to the condition of the individual. He quotes some recent cables, in relation to myriads of thousands of children roving about parentless because of the fathers having been sbot by the O.G.P;U. without trial and of the mothers being conscripted' to labour factories, etc., and says the Bishop of Waikato has done our Dominion a great disservice. He writes: "The bishop must have got his information from Friends of the Soviet Union sources, and believed it," etc. Well, what of it? I, as a Soviet Friend, am prepared to believe such literature against some of that which the New Zealand Welfare League provides and which your correspondent is evidently prepared to accept. I would ask G. Steel to get a copy of a book on " Communism ami Christianism," by Bishop William Montgomery Brown; D.D. I feel sure he will find therein ample evidence to back up the Bishop of Waikato in his eulogy of Russian methods. Another pamphlet I have before me is by the Rev. 'John Lewis. B.Sc, Ph.D., who visited Russia in 1932. Under the heading of "The Remaking of Man," Mr Lewis says:— Whatever else we may find fault with in Russia, it is difficult to withhold admiration for its educational achievement. We must remember that the Communists started from scratch. There was very little public education under the Czars; in fact, 73 per cent, of the people could neither read nor write. Now they have " a complete system of primary, secondary, and higher education, commencing with a network of admirable nursery schools. Particular attention is paid to the health of children by special rations of milk and butter, the school medical service, summer camps, school meals, and gymnastics. In consequence, the rising generation is, without any question, the healthiest race of children in the world. Under the heading of " The New People " Mr Lewis has this to say:— Russian children are perfectly delightful. They are the new people, with no first-hand knowledge of capitalist civilisation and individualist moral standards. They are very far from lacking in individuality. There is a wonderful spirit of freedom and comradeship in these schools, and .the teachers' relations with thei>- children seem excellent. Under the heading of "The Soul of Man Under Socialism," Mr "Lewis says:— •How far is Russia free? There Is certainly no atmosphere of oppression. The people are free to do everything they want to do. They do not want to destroy Socialism. (The few who do are not the people, but the enemies of the people, the Communists argue, and there is no freedom for them.) There is no longer a divided State, because the nation is overwhelmingly- Socialist. The much-discussed G.P.U. is undoubtedly felt by the people to be their protector against their enemies, much as we should appreciate detectives who protected us from pickpockets. To eay Russia is materialistic, says Mr is to misrepresent facts. She has little or no use for the transcendental world, but there is a great revival of popular art' of a very high order. The churches are open and services continue unmolested. Ninetyfour per cent, of the churches are etill open. There i 6 an Anti-religious Society, and he says:—"Much of this propaganda would gladden the hearts of stout Protestants, three-quarters of it is directed against the glaring corruptions of ecclesiastic-ism, including its unblushing sanction of imperialist war." In relation to Russia arming her worker population, what is wroug with this? Russia has not forgotten the anti-Soviet intervention in which Britain assisted the White Russian interventionists to the tune of £100,000,000 of the British taxpayers' money, or the action of Imperialist Japan's exploits recently in Manchuria. These are recent facts, and Russia is not taking any risks for the future. I think G. Steel can rest assured that the Soviet Government knows its job.— I am, etc., P- Neilson. June 17.