Malia Will Discuss Soviet System After Five-Month Tour of Russia

The attitudes of the Soviet people toward their government--including their various misgivings--will be described at 8 p.m. tonight by Martin E. Malia, assistant professor of History, in New Lecture Hall.

The CRIMSON is sponsoring the talk which is free and open to the public. Malia is the first foreigner not a diplomat or journalist, who has spent as long as five months in the Soviet Union. His talk this evening will be his only extended public discussion of his Russian tour.

Although Malia's official reason for going to the Soviet Union was to arrange book exchanges between Russian and American libraries, he had the opportunity to meet many Soviets on an informal basis. A number of university students both in Moscow and the provinces were among his acquaintances.

Malia spent almost three months in Moscow. Although the university there is normally off-bounds for foreigners, he managed to establish students contacts with the aid of three French exchange students.

According to Malia, there is considerable dissatisfaction with certain elements in the Soviet system. The people were not afraid to discuss their misgivings, either, he says. They also displayed a genuine interest in the United States and often did not believe their government's propaganda concerning this country.

In one city, Malia even saw a black-market sale of pictures of Robert Taylor and Jeanette MacDonald.

Michael Karpovich, Reisinger Professor of Slavic Languages, will introduce Malia at tonight's lecture.