Evening star., 1946-09-06

for social gatherings and discus
sion" and n place where current
problems are brought to focus and
solutions Of them presented" Rus
sian people have AN unlimited en-
thusiasm" for the theater," the
report states. Musical life in the
concert sense is exclusively under
the control of state organizations,
and the production Of motion pic
lures, emphasizes the "propagandis-
tic role the report declares. -. =
The Soviet Union has many
libraries, the largest being the Lenin
Library in Moscow and the
Saltykov Shchedrin library In
Leninerad, each with more than
{, 900, 900. volumes and 600 employees.
There are more than 5000 libraries
specializing in technics and science,
5000 for children, 5000 for general
readers, and 10000 migratory
libraries.
The report calls attention to the
extensive cultivation Of the folk
cultural heritage Of the various
nationalities.
Control Of Time Use.
Despite the many and varied kinds
Of leisure time activity, leisure time
use is strictly controlled by the state
and the Communist party, the report
holds, continuing:
"The amount Of time allotted q
worker for leisure depends upon the
type Of work he is engaged in and
the quality of his performance. The
places to which he may 60 in search
of rest and recreation are likewise
determined for him. The groups
within which his leisure time activi-
ties are performed are organized and
activated by Communist party men,
bers. The sports in which he par
ticipates are designed to strengthen
his physical power and skills for
military and for labor purposes. His
cultural activities during leisure
time are further conditioned by the
political control of newspapers and
books, plays or movies, and radio
programs or musical concerts.
Finally, it is noteworthy that In
some measure, the control of leisure
time merges into the actual taking
OF leisure time for state purposes.
Very early in the development Of
the Soviet Union, during the crit
ical time Of the civil war between
the Whites and Reds, the railroad
workers of Kazan voluntarily do
mated their rest days to the public
welfare by working at other social
|ly important employments.
"The workers on Saturdays, the
so-called Saturdays found their
incentive in the needs of the state
for machinery repairs and for MAIN
tenance of public works such as
streets and utilities. In the course
of time the habit of "Saturdaying"
became SO widespread that it prac-
tically took the form Of social obli-
CATION. Here, perhaps, is the most
striking demonstration of the sub
ordination of leisure time to the
ends Of the socialist state"
Comments ON Freedom.
The report ends with general COM
ments on freedom and individual
rights in Russia. It mentions ad-
Ivances made in ending discrimina-
ton on account Of race, sex or ma
tionality. Explaining that within
the Soviet Union there are said to
be lit distinguishable races, ma
tionalities and tribes speaking some
125 different languages or dialects
and practicing as many as SO Diff
ferent religions, the report finds al
most one-third OF these national
groups have been given political
recognition.
But as to national groups and
their individual members" the re-
port adds, Soviet policy does not
tolerate dissent in matters Of SUBJ
stance"
The administration of justice In
later years has been advanced by
the codiication of laws. establish
ment Of courts and comprehensive
lprocedural measures TO afford
greater protection to the individual
accused Of crime"
But the report finds that "the evi-
dence y clear, however, that Lenin's
view still prevails and that, as one
writer says, the protection Of the
state against treason and crime is
deemed more important than the
protection Of the individual against
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