The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-06-03
ROMANCE REAPPEARS IN SOVIETLAND
Beauty Pa,lory and Barber Shops Are Crowded

leads to tonsorial splurges. Beard
lessness and shaved heads are in
fashion for men. Barber shops
and beauty parlors are crowded.
Twenty-four tables Of manicur-
lists are at work in one shop. The
polished nsils-guessl-are rich
red.
A SCORE Of hair dryers, a
IA dozen BARRIERS. several facial
masseurs stand over their patrons,
cajoling good looks with curling
irons and cold creams. wait in
a long line.
The thick-fingered method Of
the BARRIERS dims my enthusiasm,
which dies when I see a customer
pay twenty-five rubles for a
shampoo, a marcel wave and
manicure. Eleven dollars! I cede
my place in line.
The women about me show signs
OF clothes improvement. Last year
they were shapeless masses. This
year dresses cover the knees and
show an attempt al At. Colors
emerge. Shoes show vast improve
ment.
Store prices seem high. They
are based. IT, seems to me. not so
much upon worth as upon scar
city An article Of furniture. say
a huge brass bed, costs thirty
rubles. SIS.
A sleazy blouse Of artificial silk,
machine made. bearing the al
legation. American Style" is
priced thirtv-six rubles sl5. 1t
would not bring 81 in New York.
DERHAPS 1t Is unfair to COM
L pute the ruble in terms OF
dollars. The legal rate is about
two for 81. Actually, the pur-
chasing power Of rpble is about
Is cents. and in the countries Dor
dering Russia. they are sold at
from 5 to 8 cents apiece.
In other stores I see quaint
musical instruments, often out Of
order; monograph radios, imita-
ton leather bags. Deep crowned
felt hats for women: caps for men.
Cheap jewelry. Never gold. 1t is
poor taste to wear anything Of
gold.
Gold in vaults, which u S. S. r.
uses to buy necessities abroad.
To be in poor taste" is serious
reproach in the Soviet country. A
Russian novelist relates the story
of a sincere young Communist
whose three front teeth had been
knocked out in a fight defending
his politics
Unfortunately his factory's dem
fist was out of porcelain, and was
forced to equip the young man
with a glistening trio of gold teeth.
A T the next meeting OF his dis
n trict party committee, sus-
picious whispers buzzed. Why
should a true Communist pay at
tention to such a trifie as three
missing teeth? Were his prin-
ciples not lofty enough to tram
scend above a mere hole in his
mouth? What of socialistic ideol-
ology? And dialectic materialism?
The youth removed the three
golden teeth and socialistic ide-
ology was saved.
This year stores have WOODEN
fabrics. handkerchiefs. collars for
men. and better shoes. Under
wear with traces Of embroidery
and lace is beginning to appear.
Here and there China and Jap
anese silk may be snatched up at
high cost. Women's clothes, still
far from being chic. are at least
varied. The early idea Of uni
form dress has been abandoned.
A DRESSMAKER in Moscow
"A offered to make over any of
my dresses, free, if 1 would give
her a magazine of American fash
ions had brought with me for
a woman friend.
Rarely do these seamstresseS re-
ceive new material from which to
make clothes. They have become
expert in remodeling old things.
A dress is not really old in Russia
until it has been turned at least
six times.
One well-patronized counter in
stores is that Of brief cases. Every
Russian swings a portfolio Of some
kind. They are to him what walk
ing sticks and spats are to an
Englishman.
Once I rified the contents Of
native brief case. finding two
huge doorkeys, a copy of Stallins
Six Points, a box of matches. Gig
arets, two slices of stale bread,
several old newspapers, a food
book, a picture of Lenin and an
astonishing number of little slips
Of paper, variously scribbled.
To my irreverent mind the FIVE
year plan seems to be conducted
on tiny slips of paper
A trip on the railroad (Which