THE NEW COMMANDMENTPanteleimon RomanofScribner ($2).
Profoundest aim of Russia's Piatiletki (FiveYear Plans) is to change human nature. To transform drudgery-begrudging serfs into enthusiastic labor "shock-troops"' might seem a big enough ambition, but U.S.S.R. plans go deeper than that. The Communist gospel is in truth a religiona religion that teaches its adherents a new morality, and no good Communist is happy till he gets it. Most U.S.S.R. novels have been propaganda for the Communist State; Author Romanof's is propaganda for the Communist Individual.
Sergei was a new Russian, a peasant who had fought...