Voice of action. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1933-1936, 1934-09-21
SOVIET
Main Street
BY MYRA PAGE

gether that way? Don't they gel
into sex affairs?" Put this ques
tiOn to Sonya, Nick and Misha-
their answers are frank, with
out hesitation. The attitude Of
Commune members towards one
another is not primarily that o.
boys" and girls" but OF com.
rades carrying on common work
Sex does not ordinarily play any
part in Commune life. However
II two should happen to fall In
love, then they and the Com
mune would discuss 1t together
AS this Commune has no means
for making living arrangements
for couples, the young pail
would probably have to leave
the Commune and find a place
to live elsewhere. So far, in our
Commune, the question has not
come up.
In general, standards of con-
duet In Commune are high.
Even the Mrs. Grundys admit
this.
After living among them you
realize there is nothing mushy
about Soviet youth. They have
been trained in scientific, frank
approach to sex. To them 1t is
no darkly mysterious daredevil
thing; neither do they require a
series of love affairs in order to
get a kick out of life.
Like every other aspect of So
Wet life, the standards of person.
al conduct and personal relations
are undergoing many changes.
All ethics are class ethics. The
old code of morality, based upon
the double standard and the
subsection of women, has been
discarded. This was the code Of
a decadent society and class
the bourgeOisie. The new code of
proletarian ethics is still in pro.
cess of development. It's princi-
pies are clear, but it's applica-
tiOns have to work themselves
out in terms of human expert
ence. Communist youth take
their responsibilities in this
wOrking-Out very seriously.
In general the philosophy runs
something like this: the social
guage of conduct is the effect
your act has on the working class
struggle for a new world. If it
promotes this. making you bet
ter fighter. then it is good. If it
hinders it, then it is anti-working
class, and wrong. Unless your
actions impair your social use
fulness, or someone else's, your
personal relations are a private
affair. A man and woman may
decide to live togther, or to sepa-
rate, and no one interferes. How
ever, love is a serious matter and
not to be entered upon lightly.
Promiscuity is not tolerated. If
there is a child, the state steps
in to protect the child's interests.
There is no such thing as an lille
Ultimate child in the Soviet Un-
ion. All children are legitimate,
with full rights of citizens. Its
father as well as it's mother are
held responsible for its support
and welfare.
| ask Sonya, What happens if
you find one of the girls running
around with many boys?" She
looks thoughtful. "That very
rarely happens. You see, we have
so many interests. And we. usu-
ally marry early"
But when such a case does
occur?" l insist. Ira remembers
one incident that happened in
the factory last year. I'VE took
the girl aside and talked to her
in a comradely fashion. We ex-
planned the dangers of what she
was doing. We said, If you love
one of these boys, why then take
him for your mate. But cut out
the running around We saw to
It that she got drawn into social
activities more and to studying.
Now she has settled down."
Where the person is a Comso-
mol or Party member, his COM
rade's expectations of him in this
or in other respects is very ex-
acting. Recently l was told by a
student of case that came up
before the Comsmol bureau in
his university. in Moscow. The
member was brought to trial by
his comrades. was accused of
having lived with several girls
during the past year. Such cases
occur. Two of the girls had had
aDortl0ns. Found guilty, he was
expelled both from the Comso-
mol and university. This was
anti-social in the highest degree:
there was no installing the in
dignant scorn which his actions
called forth. He had proved him.
self emotionally unstable. and
lacking in social consideration.
He had not only failed to do his
own studies, but placed handi-
caps on others.
In Leningrad Commune of
young metal workers, Anna, one
OF its members, confided to an.
other girl that she was pregnant
and planned on having an abor-
ton. Her reason was that she
wanted to continue her life in
the Commune. which Was onlu