The Washington herald., 1922-04-29
GIVES VALUABLE
'SIDELICHTS' ON
SOVIET RUSSIA
"Marooned in Moscow
BY Mrs. Harrison,
Full of Interest.

Before it's anything eles land it's
lots else) ''Marooned in Moscow
by Marguerite e Harrison. is enter
tainingl
And that is an accomplishment In
Itself in these dull and earnest
discussions Of that huge darkness.
Russia. "Marooaed In Moscow" Is an
account of Mrs. Harrison's expert
ences Of eighteen months in Soviet
Russia, part of which she spent in
prison as a Polish spy. She is a
newspaper woman. and her book is
that of a newspaper woman: OBJ
servant, sprightly, well connected
in incident, and until the very last
chapter, free of editorial comment!
The volume is crammed with hu-
man interest, a wealth Of insignia
cant detail. gathered and pre-
sented in a distinctly feminine
fashion that makes for an illumi-
mating whole, and is unspoiled by
any prejudice or constructive sug-
gestion. For what good is con-
structlvc suggestion to Russia, with
her own salvation to evolve.
Calls 1t Real Government.
Feeling that the results of her
observations should be pointed by
a suggestion OF policy, Mrs. Harri-
son adds a little afterword at the
close OF the book. I'VE may not
like the Soviet government. but it's
a real government" she concludes.
ITO refuse to help and to continue
to isolate Russia will be to COM
plete her economic ruin. with the
consequent reaction upon world
economics. of strengthening the
political dictatorship OF the Com
munist party. pushing them further
in their tactical program OF pro-
noting world revolution and driving
them in desperation to military sg-
erosion. The only way to orins
about government in Russia that
will represent the will of the great
mass of the people is to give them
the chance to develop the moral
force to express that will in action.
This can only be done by giving
them peace and food. 1t is up to
the American people to give them
that the only sane policy from the
political and economic as well as
humanitarian standpoint is coop
| Grafton to the fullest possible ex-
tent with the Soviet government
VaIue In sideIiRhts.
The book is valuable chiefly as con-
sisting of 3O7 pages OF what the
city editor calls "sidelightS" on Rus
sian life. Prison is an integral part
OF Russian life II seems. It's very
fashionable" she comments. "Ev-
eryone in Russia who is anyone
either has been. expects to be, or is
in prison" The prisons are obvi-
| ously excellent news sources, also
inasmuch as the inmates have al
| ready suffered the penalty Of their
acts. and are free 10 discuss them
length.
The Russia here pictured is not
the terrible. famine stricken, reign
of-terror place one imagines It.
| Soviet Russia, on the surface. at
all events. is intensely orderly.
There, Is an infinite amount of red
proceeding. Food is hard to get,
| and very expensive ~ Dc SURE. Dub
there are very few capital offenses
indeed. The political offenses are
without number. however.
Most interesting society gathers
at Moscow, but one finds to ones
surprise that Emma Goldman and
her followers are decidedly de torop
Anarchists are as popular as mon
| archists.
Advance In Education.
| A wholesome advance is being
| made in education. and from the
mass Of evidence presented IT may
be hoped that industry may de-
velop within a reasonable time and,
with industry. some liberal demo-
cratic form of government
The chief fault with "Marooned
in Moscow" viewing the volume as
reference book. is the fact that
it Is arranged without any effort
at classification of content It's
difficult to return to any of the
| innumerable amusing incidents I'M
less the chapter has been noted.
Mrs. Harrison's review of the
Russian situation. while it makes
no profound economic study of the
country Is probably equally valu-
able as a work of a more serious
nature. and immensely more illu-
| minating