LIFE IN RUSSIA

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18590, 28 December 1934, Page 11

LIFE IN RUSSIA

GERMAN’S IMPRESSIONS

‘ ‘POVERTY EVERYWHERE ’’

“IF Australian Communists could but see the appalling conditions that Communism in Russia has brought in its train, they would appreciate to the full the advantages, of their own democracy and comparative freedom, ’’ said Mr Ulrich Wolff, fourth officer of the now German ship N'eptun, which was at Sydney recently. Air Wolff recently journeyed through Siberia- and Russia, and was held for three days a prisoner by the Ogpu on the Polish frontier.

“The standard of living throughout the Soviet is uniformly low, and the people seem to be existing on the iborbers of starvation,” said Air Wolff. “Beggars surround the traveller'at every station along the Trans-'Siberian route, the majority being small children, dressed in rags and tatters, who appeal, not for money, which is valueless from' their point of View, but for bread. All loolchd starved and wan, and fought Avith tooth .nndbiaHfor the food filin'# them. “In Moscow the niost. common sight is long lines of suffering people waiting resignedly for their turn for Rationed to he issued. .Everyone is extremely poorly dressed and dirty atul depressed. There is no animation in life in Moscow nowadays!.’’ •

When Air Wolff reached the, Polish frontier, he said, at Niegorie.loye, he Was taken from the trriirir the Russian .police. At Mitnchmili, in Manctiukuo, “where he boarded the train, no was given a receiptYof all the money he was carrying. On the I’o.lish border this receipt had lb be. returned and checked before any money eouild be taken out’ of the country. Ho placed his in his passport for safe keeping, and during one of the numerous prtssport examinations, it was removed. 'Air Wolff’s monoly was then taken from hirh, and he was taken to a Russian pdlice station for interrogation, Uhder armed *gun!rd. For three days he vViis Closely guarded, anil ‘was not permitted to move withbtit an escort of two soldiers. Water was scarce in the town, and even ivhen he waded into a Shallow stream to wash hiA feet the two soldiers, one on either side, stolidly marched in beside him. Iffs money was confiscated, and he was ordered out of tile riountiy, after lie had been Closely interrogated by the Ogpu.