Evening star., 1932-02-09
BY ELIAS TOBENKIN.

In the lobby of one of the largest pic
ture theaters in Moscow, between per-
formances, a man in military uniform
stepped upon an improvised platform
and addressed the waiting crowd:
Citizens" he exclaimed, "the i'm
perialists of the world are pointing
their guns in the direction OF the
Soviet Union. They are uniting our
neighbors into a military ring about us.
The period of grace from capitalst
attack of which Lenin spoke has ended.
We must prepare, every mothers son
and daughter" Then the patrons were
given information how they could aid
in the defense of their country. They
were directed to table where another
man, wearing the same uniform as the
speaker, promptly linked them with the
branch of the Soviet's citizen army In
their districts.
Marchers Drill in Streets.
During my recent 10 months in the
Soviet Union, daily between and Z
p.m., the streets of Moscow resounded
with the tramp of marching men ana
women. The marchers were between
l8 and 40. They wore civilian clothes,
but the rifles over their shoulders we're
army rifles and their carriage was that
of soldiers. AS they marched they
sang the songs of the red army.
From one end of Russia to the other,
at the same hours, similar bands OF
men and women, workers, clerks, pro-
fessional people, were undergoing the
same type of military practice. There
are $4,000 military circles through
out the Soviet Republic in which ci'
villains train for the next war" The
organization diresting this mass mill
tary training Is the Osoaviachim, Soviet
National Security Society, whose full
name is the Association for the De-
fense of the Soviet Union and for the
Promotion of the Chemical and Avla-
tion Industries.
Every factory in the Soviet Union,
every large commercial or professional
establishment. every mine or mill. every
collectivized or government-oWned farm
forms the nucleus of such a military
educational circle. 1t has an arsenal
which supplies the population with
regulation army weapons. Sometimes
these arsenais are in one Of the factory
buildings More often guns and other
equipment are stored in workers club
Or sport club.
In such rural communities as have
not yet built Dom Oboroni," or de-
fense house, the village reading house"
is used as an arsenal.
Equipment Is Furnished.
The Csoaviachim furnishes rifles and
equipment to each military circle. 1t
provides instructors for both practical
and theoretical branches of the serv-
ice It's representatives select a site
for target practice and do all the exec
utive planning. 1t organizes classes
and lectures and keeps unbroken con-
nection between civilian companies aid
regular army units in the district. The
citizen soldiers make regular visits to
the red army barracks. The red
army returns this compliment by send
irg officers to address these military
circles and to visit and fraternize with
their members.
To keep the enthusiasm of the popu-
lation tor military training at high
pitch, contests are arranged between
military circles of different cities, dit
| ferent regions and even republics, with
worthwhile prizes and distinctions fol
|. the winners.
The commanding personnel of the
citizens army consists very largely OF
| officers and soldiers of the reserve. It's
educational and disciplinary regime fol-
lows closely that of the red army
Despite the mechanization of modern
warfare the individual soldier remains
the backbone of every battle, and the
rifle and machine gun are still con-
sidered the most effective weapons. The
citizen soldier is therefore trained in the
first instance to shoot and to shoot eff
GENTLY. War authorities in the Soviet
Union have statistics showing that in
the last war $4,000 Russian bullets were
expended to kill a single enemy. The
shooting circles conducted by the Oso-
aviachiln are designed to better this
record IN the next war"
Gun Practice Is Primary.
Rifle and machine gun practice is the
primary training the citizen soldier re-
ceives from the OSoaviachin. But the