Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-05

with their new toy, delight to practice
their reading on whatever Is permitted
them by the authorities.
Books, newspapers and magazines TO
the value of $3.50 900 600 were published
in Russia in the last IL months. The
biggest item Is In 5ooks-$135, 00C 900.
Ninety million Is spent in newspaper
publishing and $50. ooo, 600 In magazines.
Here is an interesting comparison.
The $250,000,000 Russian total COM
pares with total for tie United States
Of S2,736, 000. 600, the chic. interest ly-
ing in the division between the types of
printed matter. The value Of Ameri
can books is 81, 600, 900 900. or not much
more than one-third of the total. In
Russia the value Of the books Is $685.
100000, or considerably more than
half Of the total. In The United States
the money spent in newspaper and
magazine publishing Is $1,719,00o, 900,
while in Russia only $120.000,000 goes
into such publications. Russia permits
more to be expended upon books to be
kept and read over and over again
because it Is easier to censor the book
than the ephemeral newspaper. In the
United States, where freedom OF the
press Is guaranteed by the Constitution,
the fact that q paper printed this morn
ing will be cast aside by noon does not
concern the authorities.
Gain in Newspaper Circulation.
The manner in which education has
increased the extent Of reading in Rus
STA is indicated by the fact that in
1926 the per capita expenditure on
reading matter of all kinds was but
IS cents, while today 1t is 70 cents.
This varies widely as between city and
country. The per capita expenditure In
cities Is 81. while in the little villages
1t is but 20 cents. But this statement
must be leavened by the interesting
fact that since 1926 the increase in
per capita expense for reading matter
by the city jewellers has been less than
SO per cent, whereas the villages have
increased their literary consumption by
more than 200 per cent.
The increase in the number Of news
papers is phenomenal In the days OF
the Cars, Russia had a few papers IN
the larger cities. Total circulation was
2.700, 900 throughout the whole vast en-
pire. BY 1928 there were sos newspapers
with aggregate circulation Of $500 600.
Now there are 1,409 papers with 80
800, 900 circulation. This compares WITH
an aggregate of some $4,000, 600 ctrcu-
lation for American newspapers. TAX
ing the period from 1922 to 1881, 1t Is
estimated that Russian newspaper cir
culation increased 2,500 per cent, while
in the United States newspaper cncu-
lation increased 1875 per cent.
Some Publications Profitable.
Until about a year ago Russian pub
locations could not pay their way. There
being practically no trade in Russia.
there is almost no advertising revenue.
Government subsidies were paid TO the
publications The large subscription
revenue which has been built UP is re-
ported now to have changed the situa-
ton, and some profit is being shown
by some publications.
Lack of paper has become severe
handicap. While Russia is clothed with
extensive forests. the machinery for
transforming them into print paper is
lacking. Right now the demand is for
twice as much paper as is available.
Russia imports as much paper as she
can afford and efforts are being made
to increase facilities for manufacture.
The newspaper reader in Russia must
be tolerant, however. and realize that II
the weather report in his paper reads
Fair and warmer" it is by leave of the
Soviet censors, and not necessarily be-
cause the forecast is based on factual
indications.