Evening star., 1941-11-07
(Elepenth OF a Series.)
BY RALPH INGERSOLL.

able to power plant failure-for not
only these reservoirs but also the
ventilation systems of their gas.
proof shelters were dependent or
electric power The officials ]
talked with said they had made spe-
cial provisions for this contingency
but apparently they considered
them a military secret. for they
would not explain further The
officials I talked with were the gen.
eral in charge of the whole city
and the chairman of one of the dis
trict Soviets.
The general was a stout, vigorous
man of 40. He radiated confidence
and good cheer. Whether it's tradi-
ton OF the Moscow city government
I don't know, but he and his COM
manders were the best dressed
soldiers I met in Russia. Their uni
forms were immaculate and carefully
tailored, and the generals nails
were manicured. He also was the
busiest man l met. He broke the
first four appointments we made
and when he finally saw me a steady
stream of people kept coming in
and out of his office while we talked
All interviews with Soviet off,
cials in their offices have the same
routine-and almost the same set
ting. In front of every Russian
desk there is a small table. 2 feet
wide and 3 feet long, set at right
angles to it and covered with green
baize. There are straight chairs
on either side of this table and the
visitor sits in one. 1t is very con-
venient. My interpreter always sat
In the other and I could use the
table on which to make notes.
Soda Pop Served.
The introductionS are very formal
when you come in and you are US
ually introduced and shake hands.
not only with the principal, but with
every one in the outer as we'll as
the inner Office. The Russian bows
and shakes hands very formally
and, If he is soldier, is more apt
to click his heels than not. When
every one Is seated, cigarettes are
produced and lit. After the con-
versation has gone on for a few
minutes some one always appears
with a tray, carrying mineral water
or soda pop This is put on the
little table in front of the desk, the
bottles are opened and every one
has a drink
On visits to a military establish
rnent there will be not one but two
men behind the desk-the military
officer and his political opposite
number. They are like Tweedledee
and Tweedledum. They are always
the same rank and dress exactly
alike, except that the political off,
Ger has little oval emblems sewn on
both arms Of his coat sleeve, midway
between the elbow and the wrist.
The emblem is a hammer and sickle,
In gold embroidery on a red field.
They are about 2l2 by 3 inches in
size.
All the political officers I met
seemed to be the same age as the
commanders to whom they were as
signed. A foreigner is puzzled by
their relationship to each other. In
formal interviews the military is
more apt to answer first, but often
after a side glance at his partner.
On trips to military establish
ments, visits to batteries. etc, the
military commander seems in charge.
the political officer falls silent and
usually walks a pace or two in the
rear. But neither is supposed to
rank the other. Seeking an expla-
nation of his work, the best could
get was that the political officer
functions as a combination chaplain,
Y. M. c. A. leader, athletic instruc-
tor and professor But even this
description is inadequate. The po-
litical officer is also expected to set
an example under fire.
Rehearsing the roles of political
and military officers in battle. I
found that more often than not the
military officer was the man who
made decisions and the political
officer then proceeded to see that his
orders were carried out. The mill
tary officer stayed in headquarters;
the political officer went out to the
lines from post to post, checking up
on things. 1t didn't seem to be
working out badly, although no Off
Ger in any other army talked to is
able to make head or tail OF it.
Meets Woman Leader.
The general in charge of the air
raid precautions for Moscow is a
military man. If there is a political
general attached to him I did not
see him.
The chairman of the District
Soviet was not a general, but a
pretty, buxom woman of 30. I was
fascinated by her. She seemed a
feminist's dream come to life. She
had great poise and took instant
command of the conversation. did
not interview her, she interviewed
me-for an hour-on the organiza-
tion of shelters in London.
She made a graceful apology, say
Ing I must understand how inter-
ested she was. and then gave me a
very businesslike resume of how
MoScoW's organization differed from
Londons.
The Russians used the tubs as in
London-but the Moscow subways
are nowhere near as extensive as
London'S. They are available to a
very small fraction of the people.
Taking shelter during an air raid
Is compulsory in Moscow. The Rus
slams take their rules very seriously,
and even the delegation of profess
sional firemen from London who
flew to Moscow to lend their assist
ance were required to ntire to the
shelters whenever the alarm sounded.
This was the joke of Moscow when
I was there. The poor Englishmen,
who had been through more air
raids than the Russians could
imagine, sat night after night on
benches in the subway, missing the
show they had come so far to see.
Experiences in Raid Told.
In the hotel, as soon as there
was an alarm, officials went from
door to door routing people out of
bed and shepherding them down
to the basement shelter. PMS Err