SIR,—May I be allowed to challenge your Russian Correspondent's figures in regard to workers' earnings in the Soviet Union. The best authority on this question in the world as far as 1 know is Andrew Smith, an American Communist, who visited the U.S.S.R.
In his book, I Was A Soviet Worker, he says that the average wage is 100 roubles per month—many get far less—but more important—the rate of exchange he puts at 245 to the pound. Of course this was not the official rate.
The Russians officially claim they have annihilated unemployment and yet there are swarms of beggars, men, women and children everywhere. May I quote another authority, Walter Citrine? In his book, I Search For Truth in Russia, he puts the rouble at threepence but says it is less. Any doubters can easily verify this. The rouble in Russia is just a joke and that is precisely why it has no extraneous existence and why foreign currency (valuta) is so ardently pursued by the hordes of " touts " who pester visitors at the railway termini to buy worthless paper, but the gullible English are thrice welcome.
Thos. CYRIL CARLIN.
39, Falkner Street, Liverpool.