The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-11-12
A Visit to the Soviet Union

| HE pretty Jewish girl who boarded
| the train somewhere in Holland
J sured me that Russia was good
ace to keep away from and she was
Bile to marshal some damning facts
proof of her contention.
Her uncle once owned a medical
lctory in Leningrad. This was in
le days of the Gar. Today he is
Ut an employee in the same institu-
on.
We were on our way to Berlin and
s is the custom in situations like
aat people talk to each other to Kill
inne. If you are a one hundred per
ent American and cannot communi-
ste with fellow mortal in any Ian
mage except the American deviation
f the English tongue, you will GER
ainly welcome conversation even In
Indifferent Saxon.
Il was going to Russia. What kind
f country was it? Did the revolu-
ion make any real change in the
,eoples' mode of living? Did the peo-
lie live better than before? Are
hey eating more?
The little Jewish girl who was trav-
ding from Amsterdam to Berlin did
Tot like Soviet Russia because the
government favored the workers too
much. In the old days those who had
money could have good time and
snioy life. Nowadays it is not con-
sidered good form" to live riotously
and uselessly. was informed that
the Jewish masses were better off
under the new dispensation than I'M
der the old, but that the rich Jews
were out of f4S--.
This little Jewish girl was she'd
ding real tears over the death of her
mother in Amsterdam and she was
returning to Berlin where she worked
in theatre as a piano player. She
was opposed to the Soviet regime be-
cause she did not know better. 1t Is
easy to meet such people on any
transcontinental train. 1t is also easy
to meet others who know better and
hate the Soviet Union quite class
consciously. Their hate is so bitter
that the mention of "Leningrad" has
them grinding their teeth and only
the more liberal of the white Russian
emigres will stand for anything more
modern than st. Petersburg.
Yes, Russia Is a bad place for the
rich Jew nowadays, the fair traveller
believed, but the Jewish workers had
a better time than under the Gear.
When remarked that rich people,
regardless of race, usually get along
alright in countries where govern
ments are based on property owner
ship she readily agreed.
I finally got as far as Riga, after
passing thru two little countries and
a half, since leaving Berlin. The half
is the Danzig corridor, which is Po-
lands road to the Baltic.
Plenty Of officers on the train.
Plenty Of uniforms everywhere. Plen-
ty of bayonets at every frontier.
At the railway station in Latvia,
an American traveller rose from his
seat in the dining car and looked thru
a window at gaudily dressed per-
son who stood with an air Of author
ity on the platform.
"He must be commander Of the
garrison or the chief Of police" he
remarked, turning to me.
"Not a bit of it," 1 replied; che is
the stationmaster. The chief of police
around here would wear a crown and
the mayor would not even walk in
such plebian surroundings. He would
be carried in a curtained litter"
Money seems to be, very plentiful in
Lithuania and Latvia but it does not
seem to be much good. Being con-
fused by the constant changes in the
currency, trusted to the general
integrity Of the public servants and
took what got in exchange for what
/ gave. An American dollar is almost
sure to find it's way into thrifty
sock in most European countries and
this Is so of Lithuania and Latvia.
These are known as potato repub-
lies" Lithuania has the same religion
as ireland, tho tubers do not seem
to be decisive factor in determin-
Ing religion, as Latvia is Lutheran.
1t takes several gorgeously dressed
officers to- inspect passports and sew
eral others to fondle. the baggage. !
will never forget the look of disgust
on the face Latvian customs man
who ransacked my grip for box of
cigars ard vert away empty handed.
Portfolios ana portable typewriters
seem to be above suspicion. Indeed,
journalist is considered quite fell
low on the continent Of Europe and
8 even tolerated in England.
Americans seem to think that jour
nalists,, are natural-born liars and
treat them accordingly, while Euro
peans think the art of lying is no
mean accomplishment, putting jour
nalists and statesmen in the same