RUSSIA TO-DAY

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 53, Issue 3822, 16 October 1936, Page 5

RUSSIA TO-DAY

RETURN TO ORTHODOXY. VISITOR’S IMPRESSIONS. During a brief visit to Russia, Mr. Maurice Anderson, who addressed the Wellington Rotary Club recently, gained the impression that the Russians were returning to more orthodox methods of home and national life. The people of Russia to-day were busy and appeared happy, he said, and, judging by what he had heard from previous visitors, their lot in life was improving. Mr. Anderson said that when thinking of Russia it was necessary to remember that the U.S.S.R. occupied one-fourth of the globe, and had a population of approximately 200,000,000. Under the circumstances he could not be expected to know more than a little of it. He had made a short visit to Moscow, entering the country through Leningrad, and had found the people very friendly and well worth meeting. The first view of Leningrad in the early morning as the ship came in was very impressive. As soon as they landed they were taken over by In-Tourist and were given an opportunity of seeing everything for a modest charge. The guides were very good, and the visitors did not have to stay with them. The taking of photographs was permitted, but the films had to be handed to the police for developing. The guides were all women, mostly teachers by profession and the English-speaking guides Spoke perfect English. There were about fifty English and Americans in the party, and they were all sceptical about everything. The foreigners were much more ready to believe what they were told.

One guide had told him that her husband was a professor. He owned his own house and car and she owned the furniture. The private ownership of property had never been abolished, but was limited to 10,000 roubles. Any money was good in the country except Russian. He had attempted to secure Russian coins, and had great difficulty in securing any. The difference between Leningrad and Moscow was remarkable. The transfer of the capital to Moscow had removed 1,000,000 people from Leningrad. The place appeared dead, and the people were poorly dressed and drab looking. There was plenty of employment, and the factories were working three shifts.a day, the night being as busy as day. The streets and parks of the city were impressive and it appeared that industry would bring the city back to its own. The roads around the city were excellent. The service was good and the time-table was adhered to to the second. The attendants would not take tips and the same applied to those in hotels. The food in the hotels was good and vodka was 3d a glass.

St. Isaac’s Cathedral in Leningrad had been turned into an anti-religious museum, but church life had not ceased altogether. About Id per cent, of the churches in Moscow remained as places of religious worship. When the revolution broke out the palaces were left unharmed and one part of the Winter Palace was now the Hermitage Museum. In one small room he saw snuff boxes and jewellery. Only twenty-five persons were allowed in the room at one time and about ten police were present with drawn revolvers. The last residence of the Tsar, twenty miles out of Leningrad, was kept as it was left, nothing having been altered. The Peter and Paul fortress was no longer used as a prison, but wax figures were placed in some of the cells to represent celebrated prisoners who had been kept there. The guides all liked to discuss Russian history and spoke with respect of all their rulers except the last.

Moscow was a change from Leningrad. The people there were better dressed, happier, and busier. A great deal of building was going on. The visitors were not allowed in the Kremlin .'-nd it was said it was closed because of an attempt on the life of Stalin. One member of the party took some photographs in the Red Square, and a policeman took the camera and threw his film away, but another man who was taking photographs took his hat off to the policeman who approached him and the policeman walked away. The opera was visited and tie whole thing was staged in a gorgeous manner. The Opera House had been well looked after. The royal box was still there, but the double-headed eagle had been removed and replaced by the sickle and hammer. The opera was a popular institution, and tickets were used as prizes for those who worked well.

All children had to attend school between eight and sixteen years, and after school years technical education was encouraged. A favourite Russian expression meant “it doesn’t matter,” and that attitude had been a negative factor in industry. Action had been taken to remove the workers’ indifferent outlook.

The impression he had gained was that the Russian outlook was changing and that the Russians were returning to capitalism and a more stable form of life in the home and family.