Foreign News: Synthesis

Though returning visitors to Soviet Russia differ widely among themselves as to present conditions in the largest nation (see above), a synthesis of their opinions may be blocked out in significant re- lief:

Power. Joseph Stalin now rules as the undisputed dictator of Soviet Russia. During the past twelve-month he has demonstrated his control of the Communist Party and the Government by reducing to political vassalage or inconsequence no less than six of Lenin’s most potent disciples: Trotsky, Zinoviev, Radek, Sokolnikov, Lashe-vich and Kamenev. The “new triumvirate” are: 1) Joseph Dzhugashvili “Stalin”— political “boss” par excellence, nominally only Secretary General of the Communist Party; 2) Alexei Ivanovitch Rykov, President of the Council of People’s Commissars (i. e. “Premier”). 3) B. B. Quibe-schev, successor to the late Felix E. Dzerzhinsky (TIME, Aug. 2) as chairman of the Supreme Economic Council. The settled policy of these men is to transform the “pure” Communist state, as conceived by Lenin, into a regime in which modified capitalism is recognized but kept subservient to the state. Secretary General Stalin and his henchmen are thus “Communist heretics.” Their political creed is the “NEP” (“New Economic Policy”). Daily Life. The Communist regime has now attained a complete stability, and in consequence an orderly routine of life is vouchsafed to all classes. Such cultural diversions as the theatre, the opera and the ballet are taking their normal course. Transportation is obtainable by all the usual means: terrestrial, aqueous, aerial. The shops are open and well stocked, but the price of manufactured goods is still exorbitant.

The great economic problem facing the State is to increase the efficiency of industry to a point at which the peasant can be supplied with goods at a price which he can pay. The failure of “pure” Communism to achieve this end gave rise to the “heretical” capitalistic NEP.

Marriage. The fantastic post-revolutionary myth of “nationalization of Russian women” has now definitely been dispelled. Marriage and divorce are accomplished by a simple, cheap, expeditious ceremony before a government official. The desires of the parties concerned are the only factors considered.

While this “advanced” legislation is taken at its face value by urban inhabitants, the peasantry still cleave to the old forms and customs of marriage observed immemorially.

Religion. The State no longer interferes with the right of adults to worship or believe as they please. All members of the Communist Party, the political oligarchy which governs Russia, must however profess total atheism.

Persons under 18 years of age may not receive religious instruction, but efforts are consistently made to convert every schoolchild to atheism.

Though the churches are full of worshipers on ‘holy days, the priests are obliged to tolerate the display by the State upon or near the altars of such mottoes as: Religion is Opium for the people

—Karl Marx The Soyuz Bezbozhnikoy (Union of the Godless) the principal society for the propagation of atheism, boasts 114,000 members, issues a weekly Bezbozhnik— (The Godless). Generally the old peasantry remain rooted in their faith. Their children are growing up with a doubtful and questioning attitude toward religion.

Jews. The Chosen People have typically the reputation of amassing wealth by other means than tilling the soil. Under the Tsars Jews were practically debarred from landholding and forced into the occupations of middlemen and money lenders. Under the Soviets, land has been placed freely at the disposal of Jews, while at the same time communal distribution of pro duce has ruined them as middle men. Result: Russian Jews are leaving the cities in large numbers, migrating to take up farming in the fertile Ukraine, Since many of the Communist leaders are Jews, the new Jewish farmer class has been extended numerous concessions by the State. For example their household goods are carried practically free from the cities to the farmlands. None the less, farmer Jews are at pres ent unprosperous, and face a long struggle to develop their new lands.

—Lenin nicknamed him Stalin (“Steel”) and he thereupon dropped his true surname Dzhugashvili. —Since the old Orthodox clergy imparted to their village flocks faith in the miraculous nature of lightning, the editors of Bezbozhnik have had to begin their refutation of religion with such elementals as attempts to demonstrate that lightning is merely an electrical phenomenon and not an indication that the Creator is vexed.