The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1936-06-29
Search For Utopia


man life is reduced to nothing on
the scales of the community.
Search For Utopia
Such is the Soviet Russia which
emerges from the experiences OF
10000 persons who went there in
the enthusiastic quest of Utopia.
The Stalinist press in this coun-
try is maintaining conspiracy OF
silence about these returned Ameri-
cans. Why? Because the Com
munist leaders know but too well
that this legion of ex-Soviet pho
neers constitutes the most
damning indictment, Of the Stain
regime.
ONLY a mere handful Of these
disillusioned men and women have
dared to write or speak publicly
about their shattering experiences.
I say this advisedly, upon per
sonal Investigation, because 1t has
come to pass in this country that
people dare not speak the truth
about Soviet Russia for fear OF
Stains powerful G. P. U. agencies
in the united States.
Live In Dread
The majority Of the 10000 who
had been to Soviet Russia during
1931-1935 have relatives there who
live in constant dread Of getting
into trouble through some public
statement Of their kinstolk IN
America.
The Stalinist press in this coun-
try has openly warned that II any
returned Americans dare to write
inimically of the Soviet dictator
ship their relations in the old
country will suffer arrest II not
death.
At the same time the strange
hold Of socalled Liberals" on the
American press has become so
powerful that rarely does the
voice of a repatriated ex-Sovietist
reach its columns.
The Rogers Baldwins, the Harry
Wards, the CorlisS Lannon'S and
the other highbrow champions Of
Communism retail freely their
views on Soviet Russia in the
same press.
To find out what the 10000
workers have to say Of their
life under the Communist flag,
one must go into their homes,
their factories, their clubs and
other meeting places.
Interviews Workers
Some time ago I set out to in
terview a representative number
of workers and engineers who
had been in Soviet Russia.
Some Of these knew from my
contacts as a Soviet official in
Moscow and Kharkov. covered
the continent from California to
Massachusetts,, and visited more
than a dozen industrial centers. ]
talked to men, women and a few
children who had been in the
Soviet Union with their parents.
The majority Of those inter.
viewed are former Communists
and Socialists. All are working at
their various trades. The first
question l asked every one of
these returned people was:
"Why did you come back from
free Russian"
The answer received, which
represents the uniform view of
the 10000 repatriates, ran as fol
lows:
Workers Are Slaves
eve are back In America be.
cause we found the worst kind
Of exploitation going on in So
Wet Russia. Because the Rus
sian workers are not free but
slaves of the Stain bureau
cracy We can find better
working and living conditions
under the American democratic
system. :"
The influence Of these men and
women has permeated large Sec
tions of American labor. The
StalinistS may make Roadway in
American colleges and among
penthouse intelectuals.
But one of the main reasons
why they have made So little
Roadway in America among the
workingmen is to be found in the
fact that the real truth about
Russia is quietly spread by the
10000 workers who know it from
their own experience.
The German workers who had
lived in Soviet Russia came back
to their native country, turned
to Naziism and helped put Hitler
in power:
Faith I'm Democracy
The American repatriates from
Russia came back with a bitter
hatred for the Stain dictatorship
and for all dictatorship, and with
a new faith in democracy. Only
a small minority of these former
Communists have become FaSciSts.
The largest number of returned
ex-StalinistS is to be found in our
largest industrial area, in Detroit
and it's environS. This area is
also the freest from Communist
influences.
Before I present the findings
Of my nationwide survey, the
ROU RS