A SPECTATOR'S NOTEBOOK
NOTHING more instructive on present conditions in Russia has appeared for some time than the three articles by Alexander Werth published in the Manchester Guardian in the past week. Mr. Werth held a special position among British journalists in Moscow, by reason of his Russian birth and consequent mastery of the language, and also of his very long experience as a correspondent. But he was, of course, cabling from Moscow under every sort of difficulty and every sort of restraint. In his recent articles, written from London, rather greater freedom was possible, but no man can let his pen go who may ever want to get back to Moscow. I understand that Mr. Werth is bound immediately for Prague and then, if possible, Belgrade. That is far enough to look ahead for the moment. One thing on which Mr. Werth is emphatic is that the Russian people want nothing more than peace and repudiate all idea of war ; but what the criminal follies of their leaders may involve them in is another matter. Another conclusion is that no departure from Russia's seclusion from the world can be looked for. The country remains hermetically sealed. The highest destiny of any human being is to be a Soviet citizen, and no Russian, not even the wives of British soldiers, must be allowed to leave Russia and sink to a lower level. It is equally essential that no Russian shall be allowed to realise that people do exist outside Russia who live in a cheerfulness and comfort compared with which existence in Russia represents repression and penury.
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