Untitled

Hokitika Guardian, 3 August 1925, Page 2

A ki:w years ago Mrs Claire Sheridan visited Russia to investigate tho Soviet system in operation. Her experience-; on that occasion were not entirely agreeable, hut they did not deter her from wishing to see the country again, and accordingly, in July, 1921. she set out, accompanied by Mr M. Frew in. her brother, m a motor cycle with a sidecar. The story of her adventures is contained in a recent publication “Across Europe with Satanella.” that lady being a seven-li.p. A..T.S. According to a review of the work, they scurried through Holland and Germany, turned aside to Prague, traversed Poland and made their way down to the Crimea through the Ukraine. Many of the roads in Russia were appalling. For miles they consisted of three parallel ruts—the tracks of the wheels of the cart and the horses’ feet. In winter these become impassable and some enterprising pioneer strikes out afresh to left ov After two or three years the “rood” is a hundred yards broad, encroaching on the adjacent fields. Then the

owners of them plough the whole thing ui). ami the process begin- nil over again. Private trading is now permitted tinder certain conditions, and many shrewd people told the author that they were coining money One in particular, a Grech, assured hei that, despite the Soviet Government, there were fortunes to he made- -the people were so stupid. They certainly are long-suffering. In a jute factory Airs Sheridan inspected girls of sixteen and eighteen, who worked without pay, hut received food. The children she saw were in general sturdy and well developed, and this she attributes to the I act that only the strongest have survived. At Sebastopol. she went on hoard several Red warships. She does not profess to judge of their lighting efficiency, but they were' well cared for, and the gnus wore efeait and oiled. In each ship there is a dub room for the seamen, which is known as the hciiin corner, and is well supplied with Red literature. ‘-Before the Revolution the men were not allowed to read anything; now they can read anything,” .Mrs Sheridan was told. Her comment on the statement is that before the lievolution they were not allowed to read anything that was Red and now they may not read anything that is not Red. Most of the officers had served in the Imperial days, hut now they held no rank. Yet she was informed that officers do not go hack below the rank that they had once held. It was rather confusing, but the explanation probably is that they perform the duties and hear the responsibilities of officers without enjoying their status.