CONDITIONS IN RUSSIA

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23691, 24 December 1938, Page 16

CONDITIONS IN RUSSIA

TO THE EDITOR Sir,—lt is evident that there ace supporters of the totalitarian regime in Russia who are quick to resent any criticism of that country. No doubt they are also in sympathy with the totalitarian States of Germany and Italy. Miss Gow speaks of the "old papers. If conditions such as I pointed out did disappear three or four years ago it does not say much for the Communists, with their "felicitous" programme, that they let these conditions persist for nearly 20 years. She also claims that we in New Zealand are unable to learn anything definite of the countries of Europe, as we do not know the languages, nor can we obtain their papers quickly, as in even a few months a people can come from the depths of poverty to a state of great prosperity! She herself, however, enlarges on the so-called good conditions. Anyone who mentions bad conditions is not competent to discuss the matter.

The letter of "Vox Pop" seems at first to be a collection of millions, no doubt intended to impress the " Pop." I do not accept the statement of any do I profess any sympathy with that so-and-so capitalistic "grab-all," nor At the outset I would like to state that class. But neither do I love the other extreme.

In the food consumption figures, such an increase seems to imply that the people were not getting enough of the vital necessaries of life prior to 1936, as the population would hardly double in four years. Perhaps their appetites improved! " Vox Pop " does not mention the number who share the - wage fund, nor does he mention what the agricultural workers receive. One could say that his reference volume may not have thought it politic to bare any more sets of millions. There is a limit to anyone's credulity. Regarding education, I refer "Vox Pop" to "Moscow in the Making," an impartial study of the show place of Communism by Sir E. D. Simon, a former Lord Mayor of Manchester, England, Lady Simon, a member of the Manchester Education Committee; Professor Jewkes, of Manchester University, and Dr A. W. Robson. of London University, after a month's personal observation. Professor Jewkes states that in 1936, Manchester spent 47s 6d per head on education as against 23s 6d in Moscow. Yet this shows Moscow in a too favourable light, as it was a year of high capital expenditure on new schools. In 1935. the figure was 16s 5d per head. Lady Simon says of the educational system:—"Magnificent, but is it, after all, education?" This is caused by her realisation of the fact that, while the British system aims, in the main. at teaching children to think for themselves—by the way, a" good plan for some correspondents—the Soviet system aims only at making them good Communists. There is no escaping the propaganda in the schoolroom, in the otherwise excellent school theatres—everywhere. •

" Every source of information is controlled."'Lady Simon says, "and every faculty developed and every activity encouraged except the desire and capacity to question. . . . That is forbidden fruit, of which the citizen eats only on pain of imprisonment and even death." Incidentally, Lady Simon remarks that the school books contain false information about foreign countries. For example, they state that English school children work in the mines at the age of nine, and that at fourteen they have to work several years without wages. Finally. I do not intend to answer the arguments of every Tom. Dick and. Harry who chooses to rush into print, nor do I think your paper has the wish to devote too much space to the subject.—l am, etc., Let Facts Speak for Themselves. Cardrona. December 21. ,