The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-03-04
BY EUGENE LYONS,
United Press star Coyrerroraen.


Republican or Democratic parties
in the United States undertaking a
searching inquiry into the political
views and personal lives of all their
members, expelling forthwith all
those whose opinions are less than
100 per cent orthodox, all those who
drink immoderately, beat their
wives, or subsidize chorus girls on
the side.
Imagine that and you will have
some notion Of the "chistkas" or
cleansing which takes place peri
odically in the party which rules
the land of Bolshevism.
Duty Is Supreme Virtue
Not since Cromwell governed Eng
land has any nation been so thor
oughly subjected to a code of pD !.
tanical conduct as the Soviet uni n
today.
The supreme virtue in the Soviet
union is duty.
The Communist has practically
no personal life, he is dedicated to
a cause which leaves no margin of
time or energy for anything else.
do not wish to imply that there
are no self-seekers, grafters and
kcoundrels in the Communist party
s.s the wielder of power, 1t draws
the worst as we'll as the best ele-
ments.
1 mean that they are denounced,
weeded out and severely punished
If caught violating the code.
The official morality-except in
the matter of turning the other
cheek and being soft with enemies
would meet the approval Of
Methodist conference.
Romance FroWned On
Amusement, or fun for its own
sake, seems as much out Of place
under Stain as it did under Crom-
we'll.
There are no longer any plays or
motion pictures whose purpose is
10 entertain; only morality plays,
those with a definite purpose, get
produced.
Russia has few cafes, no dance
halls.
1t is engulfed in anti-alcohol
propaganda, does not tolerate gam
bling and minimizes the Importance
of personal emotions Of any kind.
The romantic instincts in particu-
lar are treated here as an intrusion
upon time and energy needed in
more serious directions.
Emotions Are Waste of Time
The workers clubs are primarily
educational institutions and only
in a remoter sense places of rec
reation.
Atheist Russia has its own index
expurgatorium. 1t includes jazz,
Gypsy ronlances, love poetry, for
eign gramaphone records, in fact
everything that is remotely con-
nected with bourgeois comfort or
the softer personal feelings.
The present, say the Communists,
is no time for self-indulgence and
mooncalling. A big practical job
waits to be finished.
The liberal divorce laws and
the establishment of absolutely
equal stands of conduct for men
and women have won the land of
Soviets an undeserved notoriety for
RIGHTEOUSNESS.
Amusements Are BOotlegged
There Is less of 1t here than In
any European capital without ex-
ception.
True, the disorganization of life
by the revolution, the turmoil and
confusion, led to excuses some of
which persist.
But that is a surface phenomenon.
Basically the BolShevik regime
is almost Spartan in its insistence
upon clean living for the sake of the
state.
Dancing and other amusements
are "bootlegged" aplenty. Sexual
license is widespread among a por-
ton of the youth which has failed
to accept the Communist viewpoint
and finds no outlet for its energies.
Next: New life In Russia.