dinner there was always poultry or meat : the
evidence of friend and opponent and of my
own eyes is quite conclusive that what there
is of good nourishing food is first shared
amongst children, next amongst invalids, the
general public coming last, and with the great
shortage this is a very bad last indeed. I never
saw milk or poultry served at a meal anywhere
in Russia but at these schools, except when a
small quantity was served at our own evening
meal. Visits to these schools were planned
overnight by Barry or myself.
In order that mothers may go to work creches have been established all over the towns and in some villages. These are run on model lines and also mainly by women who formerly belonged to the middle and upper classes. I think these are among the best nurseries I have seen anywhere, they are not overcrowded and are light and airy. If lung power is a sign of health, then these babies are extremely vigorous. Great care is taken to prevent infection. The matron asked me and my friends to put on overalls before entering a ward.
One special thing in connection with all this work for children is the fact that there are no distinctions of class or nationality. Every child in Russia is looked upon as a child of the community. To obtain its right to sit down at the table provided by the Russian
