STRANGE CONTRASTS IN THE NEW RUSSIA

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 886, 1 February 1930, Page 22

STRANGE CONTRASTS IN THE NEW RUSSIA

N ewcastle W oman Makes Interesting Tour of Europe ... Mrs. Lenin's RollsRoyce ... ■ AVIN6 red flags. A long length of wharf on which a pavilion was erected. Gaj' stalls placed under its cover where Russians were selling their national products. A banner with the English word “Welcome,” emblazoned across It. These were Mrs. Bromley Creer’s first impressions on the arrival of the Arcadian, the first British tourist ship to visit Russia since the war. On board were many distinguished people, including Lord Beaverbrook, who had taken Arnold Bennett with him to write a series of articles bn Russia for his newspaper. During her recent travels abroad, Mrs. Creer, who hails from Newcastle, hearing of the intended tour, decided the opportunitj- of seeing a little of Russia was too good to be missed, and straightawaj' booked her passage (says the Sydney "Sun.”) Berthing operations completed, Individual liberty vanished, and State control ruled. Soviet guards lined the gangways, and passengers real ised as never before tha meaning of British freedom. Only those who had elected to join one of the planned tours could land. However, once on land, the passengers on tour could move about freelj - ; but, as every minute was booked up, tliej' did not have much time to roam aloue. The tourists were divided into parties of about 20 each, and were ] given numbered disc s to wear corre-j spending witli their special guides and I car. These cars -were at their.dis-1 posal during their slay. The guides I

were mostly very j'oung girls, very well educated, and had the history of the Revolution at their finger-tips. They spoke English perfectlj'. Mrs. Creer arrived in Leningrad on a Sunday, and during the afternoon joined a. party to inspect some churches. The striking beauty of the interior of one witli gold mosaic from floor to ceiling left a deep impression. In a Greek church they found a service being conducted by a priest in gorgeous robes, and the place was packed with worshippers. The cries for alms of beggars in the streets created a depressing note during the return to the hotel. On entering the Tsar’s Palace, where everj'thing appeared to be kept in perfect order, the visitors had to don overshoes so as not to mark or j damage t?ie miles of polished floors, j The furniture was in an excellent i state of preservation also, and the walls were hung with beautiful works of \ art. Vandalism is not tolerated, j Later a visit was paid to Lenin’s j administrative office, which was for- \ merly a school where the daughters i of Russian nobles were trained in ! court etiquette. The summer palace of the Tsars, :

reached from Leningrad after about an hour’s journey by boat, was a place of interest and beauty. It was built bj r Peter the Great somewhat on the lines of the Palace of ’Versailles. While the tourists were there everything was looking its best, and the fountains were turned on for their benefit. After two days in Leningrad, Mrs. Creer was among a party of 200 who journej'ed to Moscow, taking about 12 hours to cover the 400 miles. The trains were most comfortable, with sleeping berths, and very clean, closely resembling the Blue trains on the Continent. The countryside through which they passed was reminiscent of English scenerj-. A gala concert was arranged for them in Moscow, where there was a wonderful exhibition of Russian dancing. “During our inspection of the Kremlin, which is really a city within a citj-.” said Mrs. Creer, “we noticed a beautiful Rolls-Royce, which later we were informed belonged to Mrs. Lenin.” No restrictions were placed on tourists using a camera, with the exception that no photographs of the Kremlin or the guards were allowed. The latter, incidentally, were verjpoor specimens, and very shoddiljclad. The majority of the people wear national dress—tall boots and the long coat with high collar, and the women with the kerchief over their heads. But Western garb is not a strange sight. All the shops are State-owned, and relics of the Tsarist regime may be purchased, but an exhorbitant price is demanded. The tourists were royally fed, and one feature of the meals were the large bowls of caviare —regarded in Europe as a luxurj’— which were handed round, and from which diners could freely help themselves. In contrast to this comparative luxury were the long bread queues waiting in the streets.