By "Stroy"
Shanghai, Oct. 3.
The events in Europe continue to monopolize the thoughts of the Russian colony, Soviet Russia's partie cipation in the remapping of Eastern Europe, the ultimatum to" Esthonia, the fate of Latvia and Lithuania, the fulure of Finland, the question of the Bessarabia and the Dardanelles—everything that is at present head-fined in the press and' contained, in the cables is close to every Russian, In Russia, everyone went to Finland from St. Petersburg, sometimes even for the week-end—aithough the Eng-Ush conception of the week-end was and Is unknown. tu Finland, Rus-Slans Used to wonder at the adaption of European culture to dally life.
Tu the Baltic states many Russians have either camped or fought, and In Poland the topography is known bby heart by every military man participating in the last war. Many have been stationed there for two or three years in succession, and much Russian blood thas flowed on this ground. 'Numerous relatives of Russian Shan hrailanders have lived and still live in Riga, Tallin, Kovno, Wilna; Russian emigré newspapers were publish ed li those cities, paper "Segodnia'
Tong considered the best" Russian' newspaper outside the limits of Russia, Like Shanghai, Riga had a Russian theatre, a Russian opera and operetta, and Russian choles. 'The most famous Russian actors, musie clans, and singers included "Riga in their' tours.
Russia in the News But it is not only because of these les with the countries concerned that politics are being reviewed with such excitement by the colony. Soviet. citizens, and especially those who Until recently were emigres, with a" triumphant. alr. Emigration moods are contradictory. Many con-Hnwo to, believe and. write, that tween the terms" Comintern and Moscow there isan "equal" sign, and that therefore the entrance of Soviet troops into Poland, Esthonia fof Bessarabia is frst and" foremost the entrance of Communism. Others think that these territorial acquisitions come under the heading of Russian. ood fortune the Comintern and Statin will disappear but these territories, taken bloodlessly or after a fight will remain. Others stil, think that Hitler will sot up Tsar Russia, while ong persistent school of thought Is that "the only clover man in Burope is Stalin—he twisted them all around his little Anger." War news at the same time revives the memories of the last Great War, and very naturally sympathies are rising towards the English and French, with whom they fought for a common cause. Tu the press, next to pro-German arguments, there are' also attacks on the Germans, who have always fiked to direct the destinies of Russia and who even before the Trusso-Japanese War made Russia sign a trade treaty which gave Gore many bread and sugar almost free charge, (Germans used these borts to fatten pigs). From the forefoing it fs clear that events in Europe ud the participation in the war Rursians—even Soviet Tussiane-—olds the colony in unusual tension, coking at the outer guise one would <vppose that these events have direct and immediate bearing on Shanghai. Russians are surprised 0 sco their English and. French friends working calmly, as. if ypthing. has happened They themselves are in a high state of excitement.
About the Theatre The Russian theatrical season Shanghai will open on October 7. The Theatre is now approaching the Ath year of its existence, and M-me, Z.A. Pribitkova, its producer, is still filled with the sume confidence that filo definite need in the colony. And in tuth, a good half of the audiences attending the theatre's presentations belong to the younger Reneration who were born and educated in "Shanghai, are not ac~ quainted with Russia "and yet are Intensely Interested in Russian plays, Voth classical and modern. "The Sisters Kedrovi," the "frst play on the programme, will be presented in memory of M-me LAN. Kniajeviteh, the well-known actress who died last summer and who had for eight years shared the laurels with Memo' Pri-Ditkova, The proceeds will be used in building a tombstone over her rave, 'The second play to be pre-Sented will be Count' A. K. Tolstoy's "Tsar Feder Ivanoviteh?" the profits going to the fund for French sol wounded in the present War. third playa literary court-room scene, "with "Vera Mirtzeva" yaigned before the bar—will be arranged with the help of the Russian Barristers' Association. Two barri ters-at-law, Mr. A. J. Slobodchikoft and Me. BEE, Morozoff, will actually Pribitkova plane to open a dramatic studio in Shanghai, having in past directed one in Harbin, The" cream of theatre {alent in the colony fs still appearing. in the plays presented by the Rus-jan Theatre, which will be staged in hall of the College Municipal Francaise.
Fast Saturday Russian women and girls christened with the very popu-far names of Vera (Faith), Nadiejda (ope) Liubov (Love) and Sofa (Wisdom) were celebrating their Angel's Day. It was the custom in Russia, and is still the custom here, to receive numerous quests and pre-seriis of flowers, cakes, or other Articles. For a whole week before this day arrives, newspapers are filled with advertisements from bakeries, Jewellers and other stores offering their goods as ideal gifts. This year the youths club "Sokol" opened. its winter season with a ball on that day, September 20. The clubhouse has been renovated, the dining room especially is very cozy, and special attention has been given to the buffet. In addition to dancing, which lasted until curfew hour, several impromptu numbers were given.
Russian Registration 'The Russian Emigrants' Committee hag instructed the Russian Chamber of Commerce to register all emigres commercial, industrial and handicraft concerns, An advertisement: Inserted {nthe Russian press stated that all concerns affected must register themselves before October 31, 1959, This registration is being. brought Into coffect, It is stated, to arrive at the number of Russian concerns in the colony and {0 use this data for gen-frat statistical "purposes. The. regie-{ration Is not connected. with income tax, and. no. payment will be asked except for a nominal one to cover force expenses of the registration. Impecunous Russians who will have to register their handicrafts will be bie to do 50 free of charge.
On September 27 Mr. sand. Mrs. CChatles: Metzler gave a farewell din her in honour of Vice-Consul Seisiro Takahashi, who has served here for seven years, taking charge of Rut sian affairs, and who hrs been traneferred to one of the Baltic States. Among these present at the dinner wore Ar, E. Rrurumi, "Mrs. '0. Lembich, Mr, Umekawa, Ar, and Mrs. G.'A. Sapojnikort, Mr. Seuchi Shiraltira and Int. Lo ¥. Amoldov.
Russian musicians working in bars and cabarets tell that at one. time foreigners were openly "antagonistic towards them due to Moscow's poltifal position." Impolite remarks, were sometimes thrown at them, in. which case both sides gave as much as they took. Many foreigners, not. stopping to deve into the intricacies of pre=
clans the halfjesting greeting "fil any polis throw Rusan Stalint™ On the whole, however, political antagonisms are not in the syle of cosmopolitan "Shanghai, specially in the. atmosphere of" its bare and cabarets, Ex-Officer's Club 'The Ex-OMcers' Club has eelebrated the 13th anniversary of its founding, the date being moved forward from July to September. To do honour to the occasion a gala dinner was held. attended by 150 people—women being present. Members and their quests were met by Captain and Mrs. K. L. Egikov. Congratulations were read out from Lieut. Gen. C.F, Walter, Honourary President, and Major-General V. V. Zimin, Chairman of the Board, both of whom were tunable to attend Because of iMiness.
Dinner was followed by dancing, 2 ball being held.
"The French Concession authorities are at present registering all jurists, ud their assistants practising in the French Concession. People with no citizenship, like the Russian emigres, must present some document or docu: ments showing their standard of edueation, and their former legal practice. Three photographs must be enclosed. The question of practice for people of the jurisdictional profession was: dealt with by the decree of the! French Consul-General on August 9, 1999, and this proclamation clearly elucidates all the laws of practise: Ir the jurists have other activities, they should be such that would not conflict with the dignity of his profession.
Fines are instituted for those who break any of these rules. Registra-ton papers are printed. inthe Chinese, French, English and Russian Tanguages.
"The Head Office of the Fur-Eastern Jewish Information Bureau has been transferred from Harbisy to Shanghai. In this connection, Mr. B. Birman has arrived here from that ity. During. the Civil War in Russia this Bureau did sterling work in Irkutsk and Vladivostok, 1 is interesting to note: that not only Jews have applied for information at the Bureau. During.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.