THE REAL RUSSIA

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 344, 4 October 1932, Page 6

THE REAL RUSSIA

MENACE TO WORLD NGRTHAMPTON MAN TELLS. ROTORUA ROTARiANS THE TRUTH THE FIVE YEAR PLAN Russia as it really is, proved most interesting to members of the Rotorua Rotary Club at their weekly luncheon yesterday and 'the vivid account given by Rotarian Cross of N.orthampton, England, held them enthralled. Rotarian Cross told of his experience as a member of a delegation of British manufacturers wh'o visited Russia some three years ago to investigate the possibilities of opening up trade, and he gave the club some of his impressions. "Russia's ideals are good, but her methods of carrying tbem out are hopeless," said Rotarian Cross, "and II am one who believes nevertheless that Russia is a distinct menace to the rest of the world." Under Goviernment Control "We were met at the frontier by Government officials and were con--ducted to a most luxurious train. When We got to Moscow we looked from this luxurious train and I was amazed to see a huge concourse of people there to welcome us. They looked terribly depressed and I have heard ,hat they were ordered to attend. Then we were shepherded to hotels; you must remember," he added, "that there is absolutely no privats enterprise in Russia, everything is Government. That night they gave us a magnificent banquet; there were a hundred duferent kinds of food and drink on the tabl's and we could look out of the windows and see huge crowds in a state of semi-starvation. That is Russia."

Shortage of Food "I was amazed to see the enormous food queues," continued Mr. Cross, "there they were, lined up for their food in the biiterly cold weather, men women and children, waiting with their tickets. I was told that there were only two kinds of food available a sort of sour bread and a thin type of vegetable soup which was not very strong. Money will buy nothing for everything is Government-owned." An Enormous Experiment "Russia is nothing more nor less than an enormous experiment and in no country in the world could such an experiment be undertaben. I bel'ieve from what I saw that the war would have done them less harm had it been ailcAved to take its eourse, than under the present regime. Two things in my opinion will bring Russia tumbling down, first, the elimmation of religion and, second, the treatment of women. Why I believe that in Russia a man ean get married, divorced, and married again all in 24 hours, for £3. Housing Conditions Speaking of housing conditions, Mr. Cross informed his audience that if a man had a house which was too big he had to hand it over to a committee who ailocated the oeeupancy of the rooms. In view of the fact that the factories were working three shifts this often meant that a bed was also worked in shifts. Housing conditions were appalimg. All factories were run uy committees of workmen^ and all .mi wireless installed and each day che operatives had to listen to the vvireloss broadcasts. Factories were ^nder military surveillance. The Five Years' Plan Mr. Cross explained that the Five Years' Plan was evolved by 600 learned professors with the idea of so spejding up production that no couniry could compete with Russia. It had only been made possible by the other nations affording Russia credits and these credits Russia would meet. He did not think however, that Russia would get very far for years for the trouble was that though she was working her factories .at a third of the cost of other lands it would be years before she was able to overtake the internal needs of her populace for goods for home consumption. There was an appalling lack of clothing, food and the very ordinary comforts of life. The Peasantry's Att'itude Mr. Cross dealt brrefly with the attitude of the peasantry and told how when they were first given their land and told to produce they did so, but when they found that they could not sell their produce to any but to the Governmsnt and that money was meaningless since one could not buy except from the Government, they ceased to grow crops or breed cattle. Thousands had been shot for this. Lenin Worship Mr. Cross also touched interestingly upon the worship of Lenin, the privileges of the soldiery and the enorm~s progress made by Russia in many directions, especially in the air. He concluded by warning his hearers of the menace' which Russia was to the civilised world and also blamed the nations of the world for extending to her credit so that she could attempt to carry out her scheme. A vote of thanks was conveyed by Rotarian S. H. Hay.