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Theatres. The U. S. visitor would find many theatres and cinemas. He would be surprised to find them always crowded with enthusiastic audiences. He would be even more surprised to discover that, in order to get a seat, he must bargain with a ticket scalper. All seats are the same price (it would be most uncommunistic to charge more for a box than for a seat in the gallery). To the unprivileged they are about $3; for the workers, $1, although the scalpers get what they can, as in the U. S.
The plays are mostly of a revolutionary type—that is, their themes tend almost invariably to glorify the revolution. Most of the films are Russian; a few are German; and, occasionally, there is a U. S. picture. it being a not uncommon sight to see billboards advertising Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks. The opera is like the theatre, revolutionary.
Entering a theatre, the U. S. observer would see no ushers; he would find his own seat. He would see, not tuxedos and silk hats, but bloused men and girls in coarse sleeveless gowns. He would find, too, no racial distinctions; there would be fair-haired Russian girls sitting amorously with slant-eyed Mongols or yellow-skinned Tartars.
Religion. Approaching Red Square in Moscow, the U. S. observer would see a flamboyant sign in Russian characters: "RELIGION IS THE OPIUM OF THE PEOPLE." Yet, in the streets he would frequently see black-garbed Russian Orthodox priests. He would see people crossing themselves as they passed these holy men and as they passed churches. Some big churches are closed because the people cannot afford to keep them up, but most of the churches are still open. The U. S. citizens would, therefore, come to the conclusion that the Soviet Government, while actively discouraging religion and paying not one kopeck to the support of the churches, nevertheless tolerates worship of the Deity.
Trade. In Russia everything belongs, to the State. Private enterprise, therefore, flourishes on concessions bought from the State. The class that buys concessions are known (and despised) as Nepmen (new economic policy men). If, for example, a man buys a concession to sell bread, he may not open his store before say 10 o'clock, or some three hours after the government monopoly stores open; he may not charge more than a certain amount for a loaf; he must buy all his materials from the government; his books are subject to scrutiny by government agents at any time during the day, and woe betide him if he is discovered cheating! Finally, his profits are so taxed that he cannot make more than the maximum of $115 monthly. His customers are obliged to stand in file awaiting their turn to be served, as they do at all government stores; for the U. S. citizen will find before he is long in the country that Russia is a land of queues.
Concessions. Concessions granted by the Soviet Government to U. S. concerns include the following:
W. A. Harriman & Co.—manganese ore mining in the Caucasus. Concession granted in 1925 for 20 years.
Russian American Gas Co.—now building factories in Russian towns.
Vant Gold Field Co.—concession granted in 1922 for 20 years. Operates in the Amur district of Siberia.
H. Hammer Co.—asbestos and pencil concession.
Prikumsk—agricultural concession, granted in 1924 for 15 years.