The Commission 'of' Investigation . which was sent by the
General" COMieil of the TiradeS UniOn Congress to examine conditions in Russia have returned to London and their Report may be expected in a few weeks. In the meantime Mr. Purcell, the Chairman, and Mr. Bramley, the Secretary, have issued a sort of Interim Report—a foretaste of what is to come. They describe with-much appreciation how every kind of opportunity for observa- tion was given to them by the Soviet Government, and they believe that their Report will " dispel many mis- understandings " about Russia. We hope that it may, but we are bound to say that this preliminary Report does not do anything to dispel the misgiving which most of us have about the character Of information -acquired in Russia when visitors are personally conducted by hos- pitable representatives of the Soviet. We learn that translators. are now at work upon the material supplied to the Commission. Perhaps the Report will show what is certainly not shown already—that the Com- mission took some trouble to protect themselves against the common danger of having laid before them only evidence which was favourable to the Soviet. Did they take the precaution, for instance, of having with them an impartial Englishman who could talk Russian ?
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