1935-05-08 — Page 17

MAXIM LITVINOFF

AT HOME

INTIMATE GLIMPSE OF RUSSIAN DIPLOMAT

BY CATHERINE CARSWELL.

THE HONGKONG

TELEGRAPH. WEDNESDAY,

18 unnecessary

MAY & 1935.

CHINESE RAILWAYS

IRRITISH ADVISORY MISSION STARTS WORK

Nanking, May 7.

;

During A two day atay in

blue walls. She la out most of and mingled wood of dark trees the day teaching basic Engilah to against which the groups of white young soldiers and pondants. Russian birches show up, as Mr. When she is at home, sho la pre-Bullitt, the American Ambassador, paring for her classes or getting onco said, "like a herd of giraffes,”| horself ready for a lesson in har- I remembered walking no onee mony, at which she works with by fieldpaths in Bucks, when enthusiasm, ns does her son, Litvinov taught us a number of Misha, in the intervals of learn-edible fungt not usually recognis ing about the construction of nero-ed as such in this country, and

Brigadier General F. D. Hani- plunca and tho behnylour of demonstrated his muscular skillmond and the four railway experts gliders.

by throwing my unsuspecting hus who are visiting China, at the His sister, Tanin, who la a hand into the air with a deft twist Invitation of the Ministry of. couple of years younger now 16, of the leg in a sort of Russian Railways, left for Nanking by is studying philology, and to this ju-jitsu. end she is reading Latin and

train at 11 p.m. to-ulght accom- In this Russian walk wo passed panied by Mr. Cheng Pao-chao, HAVE before me as I write a recent snapshot of Greek, which, after being for some

years regarded

A cabbage-shredding machine in Assistant Managing Director of Maxim Litvinov and Salvador de Madariaga engaged subjects, have recently been read one of the collectivo farms, which in animated conversation at Geneva. The Basque, with mitted into the Soviet curriculum, was surrounded by shavings of the the Pelping-Liaoning Railway, his characteristic smile, gay and disarming, is emphasis statemen, Litvinov is the most staple food. I fell I knew my host I imagine that, of all European vegetable that is the Russian's ing his remarks by a prodding forefinger on the Russian's realistik, te delesta functions well enough to pick up and nibble Shanghai they met Mr. Tseng chest.

and avoids personal publicity, bo- a scrap of it. He amited and his Chung-ming, the vice-Minister of The Russian, who hates nothing more than to being chiefly concerned to get things amall eyes twinkled. "Tako care," Railways and Dr. H. H. Kung.

done and, for this touched by anybody, is smiling too, but with a reserved match his hard and clear wita for that in Russin. Don't you purpose, to he said, "you know you can be shot

Upon arrival'at the capital to- amusement which is equally characteristic. I smile also against those of other men. Of a read your own newspapera?" morrow morning they will confer

man his highest commendation is Our walk over, as I recall how these two men, both married to old and

we returned with leading officials of intimate friends of mine, and both living at the time in

to say that he is "clear-minded"; home to play at a corner of the of a woman that she le "practical.huge work table, which is also the Ministries of Rallways and Fin- Hampstead, first met one another in my house.

dining-room table,

childish ance and the National Economic card game in which the convention Council with regard to the itiner It was about 18 years ago, and M. Laval and Mr. Eden may pos

is that "Papn always chenta" andary of their work int Clins,-- therefore long before any of us sibly be invited this week, as one

At the "datcha" when he was half the fun is to catch him at it. Reuter. could possibly have foreseen the of its purposes la to enable the not at work he wont walking with This is by no means easy. very different circumstances in Foreign Minister to do his less his wife, his daughter and myself Long residence in prison and which they would later approach formal and more intimate official in one of the loveliest country-exile had, he told me, perfected each other, Thinking that,

Entertainment na entertaining.

aldes I know. It resembles a him in the art of seeing other tricks. Perhaps no better train- Continentals and keen students the grand scale takes place. of Lilliputian Switzerland, having poople's hands, and even annexing ing could be devised for states- politics, they might be interested course, In the Kremlin, and offeinsteep little hills, swift Intle rivers, now and then the other man's mon. to meet, I asked their wives to talks are held in "the Big House" bring them along for an evening's or Narkomindel. talk.

וי

on

In the "datcha" with its severe furniture and high, pale-washed

Last November I stayed with the Litvinova at their country re-walls (Litvinov always disilked trent that is air an hour's run from Moscow by enr. It is called the "datcha" (or cottage) but, like Ho many English "cottages," is table, while at his elbow a huge fairly commodious villa, to which

These young women have helped make Oberammergau farmats. They members of the Passion Play

Are

cast,"

Mina Shiela MacDonald has been ratudying juvenile crime and correc- tion in Los Angelet.

the low Hampstead ceilings) the People's Commissar sits working in a huge club chair before a huge

amplifer Bares out dance tunes, for whatever may be the wireless item of the moment, into his un. listening ear, to the affliction of hla family whose notions of what nids concentration are different.

Whatever may be the anxieties of a political career in Russia, there is one respect in which the i lot of a Soviet Minister is enviable, So far as the State enn see to it he is removed na far from private worries as from private property,

5300 A YEAR

He need not think about money. His so-called salary-a matter of £300 or so a year—is no more than an allowance for ready cash. Any- | thing in reason for his own use or the hospitality devolving upon him he can have, on a scale of modest comfort, and of a kind in accordance with his own tastes.

And who would not rather "have the use of a motor-car than ówn one? I have little doubt that this admirable arrangement has been an Important factor in the admit ted success of Soviet foreign policy missar for Foreign Affairs is able during recent years., The Com-

to give undivided attention to his ¡job.

The Litvinova' town home is 'typical of the best that Russia has | to offer to its leading citizens, It is merely part of a converted house, consisting of a long, narrow pasange, with light but not large rooms off it all along ung side- one room, that is, for each of the family in which to work and sleep, and one little room where they all meet for meals or, at other times, retire singly to play the piano.

In addition there are a tiny kitchen and a bathroom. With the exception of the dining-room, ench apartment has a desk and a bed. (Wherever you visit in Mos- cow there is always somebody sound asleep on one of those day and-night couches.) "Papa's" room in so near the front door that people entering are apt to pass it without noticing it, which is precisely what is intended.

SHOWS TASTE

In Mrs. Litvinov's room there are Bokhara hangings (the cheap.! er the cheerfuller) and one or two well-chosen pictures on the light

BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY

Spring comes to Japan with the Cherry Blossom Frátival,

These big fallows followed the racant "pig-stic king” competition in India for the Kadir Cup.

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