The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-07-22
BY ROBERT J. BENDER
Viee-PresIdent and General News Manager.
United Press.

Nee-President and General News Manager,
United Press.
(copyriRht. 1881. by United Press)
MOSCOW, July 81. - George
Bernard Shaw. perhaps the great
est modern individualist, strutted in
to Moscow today with his beard
bristling and his keen eyes gleam-
ing, to be received by Communist
Russia with cheers, bands and SOL
diers on parade.
With him came Lord and Lady
Aston and their son, and Maxim
Litvinof, Soviet commissar Of for
eign affairs, all having made the
Journey from Berlin on the same
train.
Hail Bernard Shaw" shouted the
crowd of several thousand, waving
red banners and cheering wildly.
The others were ignored. a brass
band broke into a march and Shaw,
lgrinning and waving his hat, passed
Through the lines Of troops, escorted
by Anatole Luncharsl1y, Karl Radek
and other officials.
Lady Astor, seldom so much out
OF the picture, patted a baby in the
crowd.
Defends Russia's Army
The trip of the party from Berlin
was marked by series of questions
and answers and interchanges of
banter, in which Shaw, Litvinof
and the keen-tongued Virginia peer
ess figured repeatedly, at meal time
station halts and the compart-
ments of the train.
On one occasion, when Litvinoff
was holding impromptu court, sur
rounded by such "proletarians" as
Lord and Lady Aston and their son,
who is entering Oxford in the
autumn, and several other British
blue-bloods, Lady Astor addressed
Litvinoff:
Russia is getting into the same
position as Germany before the
war, with your big army and prepa-
rations."
mo, our position is entirely diff
ferent," Litvinoff retorted. 1--WE are
maintaining an army entirely for de-
Gus calisthenics, all of which was
building a great armed force with a
definite program of offenSe."
After Russia'S precautions against
q concerted war by capitalistic ma
tons had drawn comment, young
Astor remarked:
Natives Look Blank
That's Just what all the Ger
mans talk of today. They say they
all thought when they went to war
they were forced to attack because
they were threatened with attack
on all sides"
At Nigoroyle, which is the Gus
toms station at the entrance to
Russia, Shaw and Lady Aston, walk
ing on the platform with the others,
noticed women railroad workers
with heavy spades resting on the
steps of a warehouse. Lady Astor
ran to them, calling to the others
and the Russian interpreter to fol-
low. She asked the girls If they
had ever heard of Shaw.
mo, we never heard Of him" said
pne of the girls.
What, never heard of me?" asked
Shaw, laughingly.
The girls explained that they
knew only three names, all Russian,
hnd including, of course, Stain.
Nancy" said Lord Astor, tell
them you were the first woman ever
elected to parliament" Lady Astor
lid and the girls looked blank.
Shaw Does Daily Dozen
THAT doesn't mean anything to
them" explained the interpreter.
Shaw, looking young, tall anor
erect. with smiling Irish eyes and
fresh complexion despite his 70
years, walked at each station, usu-
ally with Lady Aston. He dld
stretching exercises while she prac-
ticed jumping, running and vlgor-
ous calisthenics, all of which was
q source of interest and grinnlng
amusement to the on-looking Rus
sion men, boys and girls.
Roth Shaw and Lady Astor
asked many questions, manltestlng
tremendous interest in everything
LADY Astor told one group OF husky
Girls they should let the men 90
the work on the railroads, but tney
Just giggled.
THE picture of Litvinoff, high in
+be Communist councils, walking
talking and laughing with SHAW
outstanding individualist and de
bunker" and the Astors OF the BIT
;sh peerage, was only one OF the
MANY interesting ones of the trip. 1t
cave curious point to the sign over
q Russian gateway at Nlgore-
love reading. Communism will
sweeu away all frontiers"
Certainly there were no frontiers
on the train, with its mixture OF
personalities and nationaltleS
aboard.
biologist. a member of the Shaw
Marty was put off the train at War
saw because she neglected to get a
polish transit visa. Despite the
earnest efforts of the United States
consul during the night, she had to
leave the train and follow the Gus
+omarv routine before she could
- NE0eccur az least a d9V