RUSSIA TO-DAY

Hokitika Guardian, 26 February 1932, Page 6

RUSSIA TO-DAY

PEOPLE PROUD OF HARDSHIPS. SUSPICIOUS OF OTHER NATIONS. DUNEDIN, February 25. •Professor A. 0. B. Fisher, Professor of Economics at the Otago Univerb ty, who has just returned to 'the Dominion after a tour .abroad, gave a talk yesterday to the council of -the Auckland branch of the Economic Society of Australia and New Zealand. He spoke, at a luncheon given in his honour, in the Farmers’ Trading Company’s Building On his of Russia.

"Laat. year was the most suitable for travelling,” said the professor, “oil account of the changed economic conditions everywhere. I spent only eight days in Russia, and on that account will be modest in expressing opinions on that country.” jVlost of his short stay was spent in Moscow, where, he said, one could gain a fairly good idea of the general conditions. He w«s necessarily handicapped 'in learning more by the difficulties of the language, in which it necessary to pick up the alphabet first before one 'could make a start on the language itself.

“The people of Russia are very obliging and kindly to the tourist, probably more so than in most countries, and no control is exercised over the movements of toe casual visitor in Moscow, so that one could wander about as one' liked,” he said. Very little attempt was made to conceal wliat detects there were in the industrial system. The peopjle appeared to be proud of the fact that they were making definite progress and were suffering like martyrs to effect the success of the Five tear Plan. The fundamental principles of economics were better understood by the Russian people than by those «> other nations, on account of the simpler conditions tha.t obtained.

PROPAGANDA EVERYWHERE. One of the most striking visual effects was that of flic* posters bearing Communist propaganda. Everywhere one turned they met the eye. This, he thought, was evidence of the success of 1 the propaganda, as otherwise it would not be carried on to such an extent and for so long. The people, apparently, had learned to trust the statements conveyed in the posters. Touching on Russia's military development, he s aid there was no attempt to conceal it, and <the .soldiers made fiiiemselves conspicuous by singing and shouting in the streets. The Soviet Government was not, however, lookng for war more than any other country. In fact, they were particularly afraid ot foreign interference, as such would upset the success of the plan, ihe tears weie vciv real to them, and he thought them justified. The newspapers published a great deal (of what was happening in the outside world, and gave considerable space to strikes and upheavals in various parts of the world. The Russians were somewhat suspicious of the intentions of other countries, but Professor Fisher said that he thought this feeling would die down as time went on and they had into re contact with visitors from the outside wojjd. Conditions in Russia were continually changing, and he had no doubt that they had changed considerably since he was there. He disagreed with the statements by vaiiou s people that Russia and her Plan was «i menace to the peace of the ■world. Outside countries could benefit a great deal from Russian industry.

SOME CHURCHES OPEN. Asked whether die went to church while in Russia, the professor said he did. On one occasion he asked a woman if there was a church anywhere in the neighbourhood, and lie was directed .to one <ff very ordinary appearance, which he found was occupied at the time, by some women engaged in some charitable aid work. He was told that services were 'held at 2 o’clock in the morning. 'He was then told that a church some distance away was holding a service the next morning. He rose early and attended the service, which last about 15 minutes. It was attended mostly by 'women and children. Professor Fisher mentioned that people engaged in private enterprise in Russia have no vote; only the wotkeis in the factories are enfranchised. What evidence of private enterprise he saw was in the sledges which plied to and fro during the winter. The owners of these were disfranchised.