The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1925-07-11
7 Ell s
Of LIFE IN
RUSSIA.
Walters Dine With Guests on
Train Running From Riga
to Moscow
By HI. r. KNTCKERBOCKER.
international News Service.

international News service.
MOSCOW, July 11.-Bedclothes pm
the sleepers from Riga to Moscow
are the newest form Of Soviet
propaganda. Six days a week the
Russians run the sleeping cars and
provide the regular allowance of
sheets and blankets, along with the
other accommodationsNo f a well-ap-
pointed sleeper. On the seventh
day the Let's, who demand a share
in the concession. to the ancient
Baltic custom, permit the passen-
gers to provide their own bedding.
Travel bureaus and ticket sell
ing agencies in western Europe
fail to inform their clients of this
important feature of Lettish rail
chilly nights Of sleeping in his
clothes, the passenger has full
grown prejudice against at least
one of the border states"
In spite Of the light traffic on
the Riga.Moscow line, the Russian
trains are now running a dining
car service. The menu is printed
in English, as well as Russian.
This is only one evidence Of the
progress English is making in Rus
STA as the chief foreign language.
The vogue of the tongue of dipl6
macy, French. is giving way to
the language Of the big concession
aires.
Lips Are Forbidden.
Walters on the diner furnish the
traveller with his first reminder that
he is entering a .proletarian state.
| After serving the passengers, they
seat themselves at the next table
and have their dinner along with
| the guests.
/ A large signl over the tables
warns that tipping is a criminal
| practice, tending to demoralize the
taker of the tip. Contrary to ex-
pectation, the walters seem to agree
4 with the sentiment of the warning.
They do their work. with dispatch,
| without the stimulus of an extra
kopeck, and display a cheerful pa
thence with the foreigners efforts
to give their orders in sign Ian
| guage.
On the 600-mile ride from the
Baltic to the heart of Russia the
prospect of pastoral life is undis-
turbed by any evidence of Western
e1croachment for two-thirds Of the
way. Then, not far from Moscow,
tfere appears, on the side If road,
a Ford car, with the driver tout
and under" tinkering with its ma
chinery.
In Moscow American automobiles
| predominant, and fleets of Amer
lean motorcycles huzz up and down
tho streets. Government officia! 9
Who. do not enjoy automobiles are
PROVIDED with side-car motorcycles.
Dicker on Prices.
Eut woe to the visiting American
| who joyfully enters a taxi without
fixing the price In advance, The
enterprising chauffeurs lined up az
the station entrance take an espe-
cial delight in receiving foreigners
who are disinclined to dicker. Un-
| loading his victims at a hotel ten
minutes away from the station the
chauffeur demands IS. With the
| aid Of the hotel clerk this can be
reduced to SO.
Automobile taxiS are a compare.
tive novelty in Moscow where the
famous old single.horse droshkies
| are still the favorite means of tE.
dividual transportation. The droshky
drivers have a method of charging
which is as traditional as the
wooden yoke distinguishing the
horses collar.
In the midst of Communism the
droshky drivers pursue their CAPT
talistic tactics unperturbed. Only
natives can deal with them on
even terms.
The Muscovite desiring a cab
never walks up directly to the
driver, but, strolling by, shouts his
destination casually at the drowsy
cabbie The driver awakes with
a start, does a bit of lightning cal
culation, and shouts his price. The
would-be passenger, continuing 20
stroll indifferently along. shakes
his head and shouts an offer of
half the sum named.
At this point an error in the
technique Of the customer will lose
him the game. If he so much as
looks back, hesitating, the driver
will stick to his figure. 1t then
becomes point of honor to hold
out for more. But no citizen out
of his swaddling clothes makes
such mistake. Finally, convinced
that he is beaten, the cabbie sud
denly gathers up the reins, whips
alongside the curb, and, cabbie AM
customer smiling, the comedy ends