MODERN RUSSIA

Southland Times, Issue 22010, 9 May 1933, Page 9

MODERN RUSSIA

FIRST-HAND OBSERVATIONS. NEW ZEALANDER’S VISIT. An interesting address on his observations of the development of modern Russia was given in Everybody s Hall on Sunday evening before a good attendance by Mr J. S. Doyle, of Napier, who recently returned to New Zealand from that country. Mr D. Harris, who presided, briefly introduced the speaker. . , “Modern Russia is in the van ot world progress, leading in science, art, education, the application of. science, to industry and in the provision of innumerable amenities to its people. In a few short years Russia has made such a wonderful ■ advance from the backward and deplorable conditions of the old regime that it now enjoys pride of place among modern civilized countries,” said Mr Doyle, who gave a vivid comparison of the conditions of the working people in England and Russia, remarking that the British Government apparently took it as a matter of course that there should be poverty and slums and people living in conditions scarcely human. The conditions under which the workers lived in Russia to-day were a revelation following on what one was accustomed to believe.

Mr Doyle had in his possession profusely illustrated pictorials which portrayed the industrial achievements of the Soviet. There were extensive oil fields and petroleum works, shipbuilding yards which were working three shifts of men despite depression conditions elsewhere, large well-ventilated factories, the erection of comfortable workers’ cottages and flats, the. mechanization of agriculture, including the sowing of rice by means of aeroplanes and the extensive use of tractors. Mr Doyle said that the workers cottages were equipped with wireless and that 43 per cent, were provided with telephones. Unemployment was non-exis-tent in Russia; in fact there had not been any for the past two years. In spite of the fact that the utilization of machinery in agriculture had diverted millions of peasants into industry, there was still a shortage of labour. This was attributable to the extraordinary tempo of industrial development which was capable of absorbing labour as fast as it was available. Referring to education, Mr Doyle said that theory and practice were never divorced. Even small children xin their manual work were taught to make things which were really useful, and this had a considerable psychological effect. Children attended schools from the ages of seven to 16 years, and then in their 17th year they devoted half their time to the factory and. the remainder to the technical institutions. Everything in connection with education was free. . Russia was very rapidly being transformed into an advanced civilized nation, said Mr Doyle. Everywhere-there was an orgy of building. The old was being pulled down and replaced with more attractive and up-to-date buildings. The old cobbled streets were gradually being replaced by concrete roads. The theatre had received an impetus and an interesting feature was the production of children’s plays written by men with a special knowledge of child psychology. Sport also had developed rapidly. An interesting outline of the emancipation of the womenfolk was also given by Mr Doyle, including the advanced State methods of assisting motherhood. It was a far cry from the old' Russia to the new he said, and though traces of the old still remained they served by contrast to emphasize the wonderful advance made. At the conclusion of his address, Mr Doyle was asked a number of questions by members of his audience. A hearty vote of thanks was accorded the speaker.