We sort ourselves into our com-j. partments, and fresh complications arise. A British woman is alone in a compartment, as also is a British man. Soviet authority swoops down on this waste of space and demands that they share a coupe.
The suggestion is bitterly opposed by the woman. The Soviet reply, "In that case we may have to put a Russian man in your coupe at some stage of the journey; you had better put up with your fellow-countryman" To which the woman, con. fusing "the issue, skilfully counters, "A Frenchman or a German or a Russian conceivably, but an Englishman never. It would get all round town, and my reputation would be ruined for ever."
This diplomatic evasion bewilders the Soviet, who retire to consider the matter, and finally compromise by producing a Russian woman with two children, all three to occupy the upper bunk.
The train departs well behind time, but no body seems to care and presently we go along to the dining-car, Here we produce food coupons bought outside Russia, which entitle us to a meal at reduced rates. our train takes to cross Siberia we pass on the average three trains an hour proceeding eastwards and carrying munitions, aeroplane parts, tanks, lorries, and motor-launches fitted with light armaments: To this must be added one cavalry and one infantry division, plus various auxiliary It seems that the Soviet authorities intend Siberia to be a self-contained military area, for the railway from Manchuria to Omsk is double track, with tunnels and bridges doubled throughout, while between Omsk and Moscow a considerable proportion is still only single track.
Moscow itself is improved out of recognition since my first visit in 1930, when the streets were full of enormous potholes, the buildings fumbledown, the shops empty, and the population wore an expression of despair.
Now the boulevards are in good order, most of the buildings have been either renovated or pulled down to make room for workmen's flats, while the shops have, at any rate, something to sell, though the prices seem so prohibitive that one wonders how anyone can afford to buy.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.