The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1935-01-09
Soviet Russia Today
For JanuaryDevoted
To Memory of Lenin
SOVIET RUSSIA TODAY, January issue, 80 East
18th Street New York City 10 cents.
Reviewed by
Joseph North


THE January issue of Soviet Russia Today, an
1 nounced as a special Lenin issue, is outstand-
ing for the number and quality of its articles and
the general attractiveness of its makeup.
Thus with the requirements Of the January is
sue calling for two long articles on Lenin, and Of
course thorough explanation Of the political sig
nificance of the assassination of Sergei M. Kirov,
as well as the full reports of the five F. s. u worker
delegates who have just returned after a six weeks
tour of the u S. S. r. the guests of the Soviet
Trade Unions found for an excellent
sketch by Alexei Tolstoy the monthly Moscow letter
of Anna Louise Strong Bread Rationing Ends
in the U. S. S R." article by American worker
in the Red Proletarisn Machine Building Works
in Moscow on the real meaning OF the Communist
Party Chstka. Cleansing especially timely in
view of the ridiculous attempts at comparison, in
the capitalist press, Of Nszi butcheries and work
ing class justice in the Soviet Union There is q
colorful study of Baku. CITY of Black Gold" an
other depicting Soviet Justice" report on science
in the u S. S. R. by j. w. McBan professor Of
chemistry at Stanford University and the only
American delegate to the recent Mendeleeff Gen.
tenary in Leningrad, and an article Concerning
Dictators" by Myra Page
Although Joseph Stains famous speech on Lenn.
1.-THE Mountain Eagle" was originally delivered some
years ago it is not widely known in this country,
and the editors of Soviet Russia Today correct
to reprint this valuable frst-hand testimony on
Lenin the and the revolutionary leader
Stains article is supplemented by one by Prof. M
Azadovsky "Lenin in Soviet Folklore" which
helps us understand the background Of such film
masterpiece as Three Songs About Lenin.'
DROF. j. w McBain cites the enormous book
industry" in the u S. s. r., as an indication
of the scale on which Soviet Russia is studying
science Editions of text books of half million
are published and sold out within couple Of
months" he writes Advanced text books for
specialists and graduate students sell in annual edi
tons of 600 Most of the valuable scientific books
published in other countries are translated into
Russian and issued in numbers ten times as great
as the requirements of the outside world"
Unquestonably, one of the most interesting fes-
lures of the January issue of Soviet Russia Today
is the page devoted to the reports Of the F. = U.
November delegates. These reports, written by the
workers themselves and without any editorial super
vision, show how quick American workers are to
the advantages of socialism when they have the
chance to see it in action. James Sheffield for in
stance when he saw the Soviet ship Kim" in
Boston was little skeptical. The working and
living conditions of Soviet seamen seemed little
too good to be true, and being himself
Sheffield is a member of the Marine Workers IN
dustrial Union - he was afraid that the Kim
might be just showboat. After visiting plenty
OF other SHIPS IN SOVIET ports, Shefneld mas come
to the conclusion that "an Soviet ships are show
boats" for they are all good as the kim" and
some are even better.
DOBERT WHISNER, Westinghouse Electrical
N worker from Turtle Greek, Pa, writes: Il
satisfied that the more a worker produces in the
Soviet Union, the more he gets, and I know that
the more produce, the less We get. / am con-
WINGED that it is the duty Of every worker in the
U. S. A. to defend the U. s. S. r. In every way
possible, for the Soviet workers have shown lis the
way out"
Stanislaw Victor Modjesk, Socialist Party mem
Der and candidate for Secretary of State in Rhode
Island the Socialist ticket, writes that he was
more than satisfied" He is convinced now that
"collectivism not only does not hinder individual
expression and creativeness, but is the only mode
of living under which individualism and the true
creative spirit can be fostered and grow to reach
its highest development Throughout my trip in
the Soviet Union, 1 impressed with the all
inclusive living unity of the whole working class
of the world which the Soviet workers so clearly
expressed