The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1937-09-02

I 81 .hoy discovered his electric
shaver which so enchanted them
tnmnorarily that they forgot the
crinic Finally they assured him
tbat !, was an inside job, and
that they would get their man.
The other instance OF trouble
b,nnened to Fred Bettelhem OF
| Philadelphia. He was seized in a
dark street in Rostoff-on-Don by
rang of youths while ! was
there. and robbed Of his tickets.
Probably as a result of the
anti-roreign drive III the last few
weeks. tourists have been rcfus-
ed pprmigsion to visit the great
industrial plants. / was not per
mittpd to see the big automobile
plont at Gorliy which employs
$1,000 men and women. ! also
was barred from the tractor plant
at Stalingrad and the agricultur
nj implement plant in Rostoff-on-
Don. On iivc-day trip down the
Volga everyone was ordered be
low deck a quarter Of Il mile be
fore the boat reached cach
bridge. We had to remain 5'lG"
until our boat had passed inc
bridge. iii
In five great cities on the ma
die and lower Volga, each WIZ" i"
population Of approximately q .
half million. l saw thousands oI
mentioning workers SWIMMING
and boating and living III res
bouses which were formerly Ihe
palatial homes OF wealthy met-
chants. Nude bathing, once Ica-
turr of Russian life, IS now
Crowucd upon and practiced on!y
by Young people in the villages
The men wear trunks and the
girls trunks and bra&sicrcS, usual
~ homemade but attractively
setting off handsome figures.
Every city has numerous bath
inc beaches and bargcS with
thousands of sun-bronZcd men
and women using them--mcn and
women obviously well nouriShcd
and happy.
Though still far inferior TO the
average in western Europe, the
standard Of dressing among wo-
men is noticcably improving each
wear. But in the provinces waved
hair. lipstickS, and painted fin
gclnails are rare. More attention
IS given to dress styles rs por-
traycd i'm the new fashion maya
zines. Choice fabrics continued
scarce, but many girls manage to
make themselves attractive in
gaily-colored ginghams.
Men. too, are showing an in
creasing consciousness about their
clothes. Creased trousers and
shined shoes are less rare than on
my last trip.
In hotel at Stalingrad | saw
the doorman bar Il Worker from
the dining room where a jazz
band played and the diners dane
ed i'm their shirt sleeves. The
worker had committed the social
error of coming dressed in Al
bathing suit. He loudly protested
against this restriction OF his
freedom.
In the principal cities the tour
list agency has built excellent
modern hotels. Most Of the rooms
have baths. ! stayed in new To-
story Moscow hotel where every
room had a bath, free telephone
and radio equipment, full-length
mirrors, divanS, and writing desks
with stationery. The hotel now
provides soap and toilet paper.
The rate was SO rublcS day or
about 81 at the present rate OF
exchange. That would be eXpcn-
sive for the taxi man who drove
me. His salary was $50 rubIeS Il
month, and he paid 80 rubles rent
for 40 square yards of living
space.
In the provinces the people are
less wary of contacts with for
eigners than in Moscow. Tourists
encounter everywhere friendli-
ness and good-natmed curiosity,
especially about ones salary and
how much one paid for his suit
and shoes. A surprisingly large
number of young engineers and
technicians have a smattering of
English, which they learned in
their schools, and are eager to
practice it. Their usual comment
is:
Things are better than they
used to be and are getting better
all the time"