Evening star., 1934-01-06
|SOV|ET PROGRESS
| SHOWN IN LECTURE
New Ideas Being Accepted,
Geographic Society Is
Told by Traveller.

Mention that you are an American
In Soviet Russia today and you will be
surrounded Immediately by crowd of
eager questioners, demanding to know
the latest American ideas on this and
that, what American workmen get in
wages, what they eat, and a thousand
other facts, Julien Bryan, noted travel
er and lecturer, told the National Geo.
graphic Society in a lecture on Soviet
Russia In Constitution Hall last night
BY means of motion pictures made
during the last four Summers the lee
turer took his audience on a rapid-fire
tour of the country from Leningrad to
Moscow. thence to the Ukraine and the
cities along the Caspian and the Black
Seas Everywhere he found Ameri-
can machinery busily making Russian
machinery. American ideas in public
health being put into practice, and
American engineers and experts super
vising huge construction and transpor-
tation projects.
Mechanics Greatest Need.
Not only is the entire Soviet Union
being changed into an industrial ma
ton, but many ideas that would have
been barred q few years ago are now
coming into general acceptance. Rus
sian women, for instance, may now use
lipstick and rouge; theaterS are al
lowed to satirize tiresome political
speakers; and luxury trains have been
introduced for tourists. The famous
Lincoln cars are not locked up, the
speaker declared, when the tourist sea-
son ends, but are used by Russian Soviet
officials.
Russia's greatest need today. how
10 NJ
fixing farm and factory machinery
when it breaks down. Many Russian
plants are turning out machines that
| work fairly we'll but, like all machines
| they occasionally break down. When
| this happens the workers often have to
resort to hand methods, as did their
| ancestors.
Perhaps the most significant work in
| social fields in Russia today, Mr.. Bryan
stated. is that being done to give the
children of the land every care, from
expert medical attention in public
nurseries to kinoergartens and public
| schools. Pictures were shown of groups
| Of children 10 years old being
taught to wait upon themselves at meal
| times while their parents were working
in nearby factories.
| Shows Scene In 1905.
| Although thousands of churches
have been torn down or turned into
anti-religious museums, thousands Of
| others are still open and religious serv-
ices are freely held in them, the lee
| turer said. Children are not permitted
| to attend, but many of the older gen.
Grafton are still devout churchgoers
and icons are still sold in the streets.
One Of the most unusual scene:
shown by Mr.. Bryan was that in the
Red Square and the Kremlin wher
Russia was still an empire under The
Gar. This film. taken in 1905. wa.
| found in the archives of the Sovie
! government last Summer and a COPY
| purchased by the lecturer. The bril-.
liant costumes Of the royal court anc
| the priests we're in vivid contrast u
the dress Of present-day Russia.
! Rapidly-growing Moscow is now dig.
! ging subway. and gigantic poster.
! on billboards explain the operations
to passing throngs on the streets Mos.
COW has recently completed, too. the
electriflcation Of one Of its suburban
| lines, extending some 20 miles beyonc
! the city limits. To care for its con-
stantly increasing population great stee
and concrete apartment houses are be.
| ing built.
| Al many SC NlhiCo pal hS vi
and rest provide all the thrills of &
Century of Progress Fair. and a few
the Chicago show place might adopt
the speaker added. One Of these is
parachute jump. For about 10 cent
in our money thrill ll-seekers may leay
from the top Of the 100-foot tower ant
float down to earth by regular avia.
| tors parachute.
| Soviet Russia desires orange Juice
for use in its nurseries, but as frui
Of this kind is rare and costly a sub
stitute has been found in strawberr,
juice, which is put UP in jars on 1
| wholesale scale.
In Kharkov, capital of the Ukraine
Mr.. Bryan visited the great new ofic,
building. largest in the Soviet Union
which directs the activities of scores o
factories and collective farms of tn
regioH But the director, he found
was almost childishly enthusiastic abou
| his dial telephone. which had Just beer
| installed that day. Four or five larg,
| Russian cities now have dial phones
and in the parks of culture and res
! government experts explain their work
I ings to all who ask.
While the food problem Is still seri