Rumania: Barbers of the World Unite!

Though Marx and Lenin both wore beards—as do current Comrades Ho Chi Minh, Fidel Castro and Walter Ulbricht—beards have long been in disfavor throughout much of the Communist world. The wholly unkempt look is considered antisocial and a sign of Western decadence. Alarmed by the growing number of beards appearing on students and intellectuals, Rumania has now earned the distinction of being the first Communist state to take official action against the menace. With the invincible Communist lack of humor that no amount of economic liberalization can cure, the Rumanian government has...

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