Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-10
Highlights on the Wide World
Excerpts From Newspapers of Other Lands.

TINE SPECTATOR, London.-We
have just spent three days in
Russia. We locked at Leningrad
Il and were surprised to see lots
of shipping in the harbor. On
! the landing stage stood a large wooden
| pavilion, government shop for the
| sale of antiques, furniture, porcelain,
furs and glassware to people who come
in ships, but do not penetrate beyond
/ this point Most of these articles
| formed part of the treasures of palaces
private homes and churches. While
waiting to land we contemplated the
pavilion, with the Hammer and Sickle
boldly showing over the doorway, and
watched barefooted men and women
operating a primitive pile-driving ap-
paratus for the extension of the stage.
An armed guard, with fixed bayonet,
patrolled to and fro, and there was an
indefinable wartime atmosphere.
After being Scrutinized by courteous
but non commit passport officials, to
make sure that we looked like our pic
lures, we passed through the now IA
miliar pavilion, and found ourselves In
Russia. OF six clergymen on the ship
three were not allowed to land No
reason was given but it was noted that
those not admitted had described them
selves in their passports as Ministers
CLERKS in Holy Orders" The CLERKS"
won.
We then proceeded to the real BUSH
ness of sightseeing"
Rows of guides-mostly young women
of the modern" type, from Russian
universities-stood by the waiting mo-
tor cars. These cars, all of foreign
were lent to us by the officials who
ordinarily used them. Our guide spoke
English well, for she had been at school
at Brighton before the war and later at
Oxford She had also known TolStoy.
She watched over us with motherly So
licitude, and told us that she was the
wife of physician, had two children,
was the daughter of barriSter (who
now was an old-age penSioner) and lived
with her family in four rooms-the pre-
scribed accommodation. AS everybody
in the u. S. S. r. who is not i'll or old
has to work, she was guide. We drove
for some 6 miles from the harbor Of
Leningrad, through dingy, cobbled
streets, whose many potholes racked
our bones, although the car Fat, was
well sprung. We passed dilaptdated
houses, from which the facade plaster
was falling, giving the streets a"Slummy"
air of diSrepair, past queues of poorly |
dressed but clean-looking people, wait |
ing at the government shops for their
due ration of bread, boots and clothing. |
Regardless Of individual physical re-
quirements, each worker receives food
in proportion to the category OF work |
performed; manual workers more, other
workers less.
Our guide showed us first the Yusu- |
poH Palace, in one of the basement |
rooms of which Rasputin was murdered. |
Then to st. Isaac'S Cathedral, now used /
as an ''anti-religion museum" where /
-,
columns OF malachite and lapiS lazun, /
which we were told represented the |
lives of many thousands of starving |
people under the old regime. Then we
saw the Nevski ProSpekt, once the finest |
avenue in Europe, now known as "Oc-
tober street." 1t is still the wide, beau
tiful thoroughfare of the past But its
buildings are depressing and lack paint,
and but few poorly stocked shops were
open on it.
The Winter Palace is now shown the
tourist as the palace of Art" and is
hlled with treasures. Here we saw our
f1rst typical bolshevik, with tousled red
hair and beard.
Next we visited the Blue Mosque. The
usual Mohammedan services are held
In the morning and the church used for
anti-religious propaganda in the after
noon. We passed white funeral cart,
drawn by one horse and at good speed.
Are there no mourners?" we asked.
Sometimes" was the reply, but this
person probably. had no friends"
We particularly uoticed the good con-
dition of the dogs and horses in the
streets, and the childreh, some with
bare bodies and wearing only shorts"
well nourished and happy
We drove out to the "NeFa Delta"
where formerly the country houses of
the rlchSlwere to be found& These
chateaux are now rest houses Tor thel