"I. had no more difficulties and less hardships than travelling in any other country," Dr. Proctor resumed. This may only apply to the main lines, but still it is worth knowing. It is some time before you get your vise—I waited two months for mine at Berlin. But the American or Briton who has gone through this forality need have nothing to fear, no delays of any kind. Connexions between the Chinese Eastern and other railways are satis—*factory. You come right through in the same coach. There is also a dining car attached to the train. Those who do not speak a little Russian or German will get into difficulties. German is spoken everywhere, but English is emphatically not the universal language throughout the former Empire of the Tsars, "No, I saw no signs of wholer sale misery beyond the occas: ona] glimpses of railway platforms crowded with poor countrypeople and their belongings. Some of these groups at wayside stations were certainly reminiscent of Chinese refugees from famine districts.
SIBERIA MORE PROSPEROUS, The more pronounced evidences of prosperity. if one can use that word in speaking of. Russia today, occur as one goes further paistward; One may say, with confidence, that the tone of the people is optimistic everywhere. It is in the west one finds people bordering on starvation, andj signs of the economic ruin. Petrograd and Moscow, and particularly Petrograd, are full of people. Streets, houses, and -shops all are in a more or lasa shabby and unstocked state. There were more beggars, and barefooted girls and grown women than could be found elsewhere in western Europe in these cities. Possibly this state of affairs does not strike one so forcibly in Moscow, where every effort is being mide towards trade revival. There is no question that. conditions are improving in the Soviet capital. For instance, there is at present being organized an exposition, to which manufacturers all over the world are invited to send exhibits. German products could be seen on hand everywhere when I was in Moscow. Less than 10 per cent, were British or American,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.