people a child must not prove itself legitimate
or illegitimate : neither is a child penalised
because of the sins or virtues of its parents.
At the same time parents are not allowed to
shirk responsibility, but exactly contrary to
what happens under the L.C.C. and other
education authorities in this country, children
are first of all cared for and the responsibility
of either men or women for the child is settled
afterwards. It was a real pleasure to find that
the principle of “ care for the children ” had
been adopted as a public policy.
One day, in company with some friends, I interviewed Comrade Lunacharsky, the Minister of Education. He lives with his wife and family in rooms in one of the huge buildings in the Kremlin. Like all other ministers, I found him in a huge, rather cold office, very busy, surrounded by officials and children. He not only has to care for and organise education for children, but has also to administer the whole business of educating the army, navy and adult civil population. In addition he has charge of all public buildings and monuments, and is on the committee which is charged with the maintenance of churches and other historic buildings. He would be classed as an agnostic, yet he has a true reverence for all ancient and religious buildings. I heard him deliver a splendid address to public officials at a meeting called to celebrate the triumphs of the “ Red ”
