Evening star., 1951-05-21
Streomlined Soviet Police
Only the Finest Young Russians
Are Invited to Join New MGB

ldesperadoes who formed the back
bone of the Cheka the GPU and
who still appeared in the ranks
Iof the NKVD are no longer
wanted, they say.
Most present-day recruits are
taken from politically reliable"
groups. particularly from the
Komsomol, Communist youth or
Iganization.
Others are recruited from the
Red army and the Communist
party apparatus or from the gov.
Iernment administration and In
Idustry.
"a potential recruit is watched
closely for a year or so to be
sure that he is completely seri-
|ous. dependable and honest" one
veteran said.
It is like being tapped by good
old D. K. E.
He doesn't know that he has
been chosen until he isssuddeuly
invited to have a talk with an
official. Then he is asked whether
he is a patriot and when he says
yes he is invited. to attend an
MGB school. After a year Of
|school-you have to be between
1S and "a years old-he is ready
for regular duty in the MGB.
Rules Are Simple.
The rules are simple: Be loyal
to Stain. keep your mouth shut,
obey orders without question and
lead an orderly personal life AS
far as possible. No sloppiness
with women or alcohol, at least
in public.
Most MGB personnel live In
special apartment houses and as
sociate almost entirely with other
members Of the organization. i
There are special MGB movies,
restaurants and shops. Personnel
are allowed to attend the opera
and the ballet in large cities but
public restaurants are frowned
upon.
"You are allowed to make a.
mistake or two, particularly when
you are young in the service. You
may get drunk in public or join
in singing Szarist song at a
party or go out with a strange
woman" one former operative
said. "All will be forgiven unless
you lie about it. They don't like
liars and you may suddenly find
yourself serving in Kamchatka or
helping to run a prison camp some
where UP on the Oh River, a
months ride from the Trans
Siberian Railway. Or you may get
shot. .
Fifteen Years Maximum.
The MGB has one thing in COM
mon with the British guards. Few
men leave it alive and healthy.
"Ten or IS years is about the
maximum" say the veterans.
"A good many people lose their
minds because Of the terrific disci-
pline or because Of the inhuman
things they have to do. Others
make mistakes. II they think you
are going sloppy or that you talk
too much or you look as though
you might do one of the two in
the future. the answer is simple:
They shoot you.
I'm the service you take this for
granted and of course IL is de-
pressing.
Most Of the people who gradu-
ally go to seed are simply sent
into exile by being assigned to re-
mote areas. You will probably
wind up in some ghastly spot
where life is so rugged that an
older man can't stand it.
A Few Get Other Jobs.
"A small percentage Of the
MGB officers leave the service
after 10 or IS years and go into
other jobs where they may con-
tinue to work secretly for the
MGB as 'secsots' (secret colllabo-
rators). But they are only a
small percentage. You are much
more likely to be liquidated or
eXiled."
Despite the danger of working
| for the MGB few people refuse
the invitation to join its ranks.
"It is an honor to be chosen for
the work and you always have the
feeling that refusal would bring
serious consequences" Is the ex-
PLANTATION. "As far as the
inhumanities are concerned
well, you do not like them, but
you know that II you refuse to do
the work somebody else will do it.
Besides, they will certainly