The Waterbury Democrat., 1931-08-22
By JACK HOWARD lIoitcI prc<s Staff (orrcslHyndt.u

Paris, Aug 22.-UP)-Despite reports to the contrary, it is quite possible to find a smiling face In Russia. A foreigner looks in vain for the downcast faces of which he has heard so much.
 Where is the sad city of MOs- COW with it's smllelcss population Where are all of the people either afraid or unable to laugh? How about the scrious.faced little chil- dren whose smiles are go carefully restrained? If Moscow has ever streets, factories, trolley cars, stores, and parks offer plenty of evidence that the city has taken new lease of life and developed sense of humOr.
 For months before going to Rus sia you are bOmbardcd from all sides with tales of how dejected and unhappy everybody In Russia looks You expect to visit q land of hangdog expressions and you are quite surprised to find that II is quiet permissible to laugh and smile in the land of the Soviets.
 on the streets and in the parks you constantly meet groups of chil- drcn playing and getting just as much fun out of life as any of hteir brothers and sisters in capi- talistic nations. Their laughing and sSouting is of an international va riety. Even the "BesprcZornie," what few still remain of these bands of wandering homeless waifs, seem carefree and happy. There is nothing sinister and mean in their glances.
 Young people walk the streets and through the parks of Moscow laughing and joking just as they do the world over. They may even be happier for they don't have to worry about unemployment and rent. They seem keen and en- thusiastic about the new Russia which will be theirs.
 At the park of culture and rest on the banks of the Moscow river you can see groups of Russian workers having q grand time on all of the a In COney Island features of this workers recreation ground. Thick thighcd Russian girls whirl about or merry-Po-rounds while their admiring boy friends stand by and drink pop" made from wheat.
 Directly across from the park or culture and rest you can find hun drcda of Russians enjoying them selves in a fine swimming pool. Boys clad only in trunks run about pushing their friends In the water. Splashlng equally scantlly clad women, and laughing and jok- ing. You can't find an unhappy or dcjected face in the crowd un- less it's that of some small child who has fallen down or lost parent In the crowd.
 The theater is great place Tor laughs in Russia with the humor mostly directed against such enemies of communism ns capital ism, the "bourgcoisie." and the church. All of these and the in- ternal enemies of communism come in for great share of laughs, laughs which are at and not with. Notwithstanding the fact that the humo. Is for the masses of workers it Is ~"' light and pointles. IL may api T"""h coarscness from our point of view Dut II always mas SOHietHiHB ueH- nitc behind 1t. A joke is sugar coated pill of some kind Tor the audience which, while it is enter tained and amused, ia expected 10 learn somc moral lesson from it all. But il Russian audience at the thcatcr laughs just az heartily as If 1t were an American audience watching one of the more prom inent serene comedians going through Il lot of slap-stick. Farce fig an important element in the Russian theatrical humOr.
 4 truck load of workers, out for a trade union picnic can do lot to dispel any ideas that laughing is difficult In Russia. Packed into q big bus belonging to their union they start off with much JOllity on Ca. Irn co