Word: soviets
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Dates: during 1920-1929
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Reception. To welcome and impress the Afghan Potentate, when his train chuffed into Moscow last week, there stepped forward a scrubby-bearded one-time peasant, clad in a plain dark overcoat topped by a soft felt hat. This was Mikhail Ivanovich Kalinin, beloved President of the Soviet Union.* The effect of his sombre simple garb upon King Amanullah, who for four months has been feted by Presidents in sleek tail coats and Monarchs attired as field marshals, must indeed have been impressive. Darting a quick glance about the station, His Majesty saw not a single silk hat or full dress...
Soon President and Potentate strode from the station to review the Red troops. First the infantry and then the cavalry wheeled past. Meanwhile Her Majesty chatted with the Soviet's most famed female diplomat, Mme. Alexandra M. Kollontai, who had come from her post as Ministress to Norway especially to attend Queen Thuraya. Their conversation was presumably "advanced," for Mme. Kollontai is an avowed, die-hard exponent of free love, while Her Majesty, a tireless educator, is easily the most emancipated woman in backward Afghanistan. Both these sagacious ladies paid small heed to President Kalinin, whom ignorant peasants affectionately...
...seemed like a coronet of gold and platinum studded with pebbles. The banquet menu, however, was less incongruous. Delicate appetizers, including three kinds of caviar, were followed by an exquisite bisque, then many a fish, roast game in abundance, a fragile salad, and fruits from every quarter of the Soviet Union, some fresh and some in syrup. Because the Afghans are Moslems and accordingly teetotalers, however, there was not served that profusion of vintage wines which enlivens typical Soviet banquets...
Meanwhile the Soviet press was vigorously astir with discussion of the significance of the Afghan visitation. Since the Russian proletariat has been taught to hate and despise "kings" and "emperors," His Majesty was ambiguously referred to in the press, by order of the Soviet censor, as a "Padisha." Curiously enough, however, the verbal use of "Majesty" was not barred, because research had established that the late Nikolai Lenin, founder of the Soviet State, whose every act and word has become a sanctified example, once addressed to the "Padisha of Afghanistan" a letter which began, "Your Majesty...
Finally the official attitude of the Soviet State toward Afghanistan was discreetly set forth by Foreign Minister Georges Tchitcherin in a long editorial which he contributed to Izvestia. Naturally Comrade Tchitcherin omitted to mention the matter of subsidies (bribes) which have been paid to King Amanullah at various times by both Great Britain and Russia. Nor did the Foreign Minister allude to arrangements with His Majesty which have occasionally furthered the infiltration of Soviet agitators through Afghanistan into India. Such matters are not for the press. But Comrade Tchitcherin did stress in able and complimentary fashion the vital importance...