Press: Sincerely, Ivan

The letters to the editor of Pravda serve as an important forum for Soviet citizens to air pet peeves, make suggestions and scold their less virtuous countrymen. "Every day in the school snack bar, Sasha gets change from a five-ruble bill," wrote a schoolteacher from the Moscow region earlier this year, complaining about how children today do not appreciate the value of a hard-earned ruble. "The parents aren't interested in how their children spend the remaining money." A lieutenant colonel stationed in Lithuania urged parents not to send money to their army sons, already well cared for. "An unending stream of...

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