Evening star., 1936-05-10
COMFORT KEYNOTE.
IN SOVIET TRAVEL
Rough.it Tang Gone, but One
Knows He Is in Foreign
Land.
ny the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
MOSCOW. May 9-Solid. simple
comfort, lacking the adventurous tang
of a few years ago, marks travel in
Russia today.
It is almost disillusioning Philo-
sophically prepared to rough it, the
American school teacher or the ma
rial-hunting British lecturer finds
that Soviet transportation in 1895 is
far from harrowing-and the trains
run on time.
Incidents, however, sharply remind
them that this is Russia.
The Soviets still see no reason for
drawing a sharp line between the
sexes. even for tourists. 1t is true
that the unaccompanied woman trav-
eler may be put into a compartment
with a man she has never seen before.
Windows Nailed Down.
The sleeping car itself, though far
from modern, is nevertheless service
able. The sheets are clean. The
berths are better, at least, than a
corn-husk mattress. Even in the cold
est weather. there is no dearth of
heat. On the contrary, shut up tight,
with no ventilation, cars spur fertile
imaginations with thoughts of Turk
ish bath Yet this is an old European
custom. by no means restricted to
the land of the BolsheviSts, and 1t is
only those crazy Americans who huff
and puff in vain in trying to open per-
manently closed windows.
The service is fair and the food
edible. An order for ham and eggs
may turn up as plain omelet and a
request for breakfast toast, piping
hot. will probably bring forth only a
platter of black, white and gray bread
or cold rolls.
Portions Full.
But it's a full-size meal and those
who complain of the plcayune dlmen'
sions of the typical continental break.
fast of roll and coffee will not. at the
Russian breakfast table, sigh for tht
stack of wheats, bacon and eggs. friec
potatoes and doughnuts back home.
Big, high-powered American tour
ing cars provide transportation from
train to hotel, where the guest room
strike hybrid medley of Czarist ele'
gance and Soviet severity. Luxurious
French period furniture and china
ware contrast sharply with peelint
walls, faded curtains and dime-stor
lampshades.
Writing desks are in every room, bu
they are an anachronism of more
plentiful days. With the acute pape,
shortage, there is nothing to write on
Note paper is very difficult to obtain
Since the invasion Of tourists il
recent years. Soviet hotel menus hav
become fairly cosmopolitan. Nativ
''pirojoks "-f1aky patties filed Will
rice or chopped meat-still are serve;
with "borscht," the Russian nationa
soup. And lamb prepared Caucasian
style may follow.
Beefsteak Available.
But beefsteak and hash brown pota,
toes, and other more familiar dishes
will be provided on request. Sovie
chefs are experts in making ice cream
Meal hours in Russian hotels woult
strike even Mayfair in London. a
ultra-fashionabIe. The customar,
breakfast hour is II a m, lunch at
or 4 pm, and dinner rolls along an,
time between 8 pm. and am.
Supper is gay, wine -brightenet
affair in the larger hotels. JAZZ
orchestras, mostly imported boop tn,
latest American dance hits while rough
ly-dressed worAors mingle with smart
ly-uniformed army officers and higl
government officials on the dane
floor.
Music Plenty Hot.
The music goes fast. as red hot q
Harlem-too fast and too hot for tn
easy-going Soviet citizen who is get
ting his first and slightly bewilderin
taste of jazz. He likes it, thought. an,
lumbers around the floor completed,
out of step, with a half-dazed lool
and emitting the Russian equivalen
Of a subdued "hotcha."
American jazz. in fact, Is the frs
and last thing heard in the land o
the Soviets. At the frontier, as
matter of efficiency plus entertainment
value. customs officials earnestly pla,
every dance record brought into tn
country-and just now the custom
rooms are chaotic with half dozel
or more monographs making tn
music 60 round and round.
1T might" they explain, contain
propaganda
Expert Luggage Searchers.
Equally energetic, they ranSack al
luggage in search for hidden rouble