GREAT BRITAIN: The Lady and the Reds

Tart-tongued, opinionated Lady Astor made news last week: she publicly spoke up for Russian Communism. Said the Virginia-born viscountess to assembled correspondents interviewing her on the 25th anniversary of her parliamentary career: "Communism in Russia has taught the people to read. A people can't think or reach God until they learn to read. I don't dislike Russian Communism. It has changed the European policy of keeping the people poor and ignorant—look at Spain and Italy."

She added: "I wouldn't be caught dead with a British Communist."

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