The New York herald., 1921-05-29

M tation as keen observer To
- sustain, but if he had no
such claims he would have created
them by this book He has long been
connected with the press, but he is
interested in those facts which have
more than a fleeting interest and his
observations of present day Russia
are the least superficial which have
yet appeared. He set out to see Russia
in thorough fashion, and he chose
wise method. He did not haunt the
large cities but during his stay, from
September through December, 1920. he
visited the actual countryside. He
says. II chose Vladimir for short
visit and found it so interesting that
| remained for two weeks. l learned
in those two weeks more about Russia
than in the other six"
Living thus close to the actual peo-
pie of Russia Mr.. Brailsford was able
to record a closeup" of the ordinary
life. He was impressed by the spirit
and the humor with which the peas
antry faced the disorganization of in
dustry. Have we evicted the mill
along with the owner?" | heard one
workman say half in earnest, half iH
jest. The hardships and difficulties
which the Russians are meeting in
productive work with such a shortage
of material that everyday life has
quality of adventure. The Russian
temperament is adapted to face such
a problem, and although there are
few slackers the general response is
c,iritaI pnn1
There is more misery in Petrograd
than among the agricultural workers.
The author quotes a Russian wit as
saying. "Petrograd is Paradise. Here
men eat apples and go naked" How
ever. Mr. Brailsford emphasizes that
the plight of Petrograd is only COM
parative He says, None the less.
Petrograd. stricken first by the Ger
man and then by the allied blockade,
is less pitiable than Vienna, though it
has existed solely by self-help."
Mr.. Brailsford is much interested in
the attempt of the Soviets to give cul-
ture 10 all He SAYS The opera in
Moscow and Petrograd retains its an
cient glory and there has been no de-
cline in its standards. although two
thirds of the seats are allotted at cheap
rates to the trade unions" New books
are not placed on the open market but
are distributed to public libraries all
over the country Education is not
neglected. but is carried on very thor
oughly when the poverty of the coun-
try is considered. The author says,
The guiding idea Of the Soviet re-
public is TO give the children a prefer
ence in everything. from food and
clothing to less tangible goods"
Mr. Braisford pays a well deserved
tribute to tho followers of F,sculapius
who with insufficient resources are
fighting valiantly against the ravages
of disease, Mr.. Brailsford says, with
the medical staff of the department of
health, | had a memorable talk. Only
one doctor i'm the whole province was
a Communist. and he was not in a re-
sponsible position. on the other hand,
not a single doctor had fed in the
general exodus of the wealthy class.
All medical service Is free. and the
doctors live like any other skilled
workers of the highest category, draw
| ing rations on the Red Army scale and
earning from 1000 to 5000 rubles
monthly. The blockade has fallen with
| inhuman cruelty upon the sick. for
Russia has never manufactured either
drugs or medical instruments.
Mr.. Brailsford's book is valuable be-
cause of the fact that il is not sensa-
tional. 1t does not cater to those who
consider the Bolshevili cruel fiends
nor to those who view them as celes-
tial beings. but it shows the ordinary
every day moujik and artisan of Rus
sia manifesting the normal human re-
actions TO a very complex situation