Word: torgsin
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Since a great and ruthless effort will now be made to maintain the value of the ruble in Russia at 20?,* the State further decreed last week: 1) that all "Torgsin Stores'' which have sold goods in Russia for foreign currency exclusively are abolished as of Dec. 15; 2) that all foreign tourists, who have hitherto been discouraged by every means from the use of rubles (for fear they might have got them at "black bourse" rates), are from now on compelled to make all purchases in Russia with rubles bought at the State Bank...
Abruptly last week, and as usual without explanation, the State was closing down many village Torgsin stores which have hitherto supplied Russians with necessities and dainties paid for by remittances in foreign money sent by friends, relatives and charitable organizations abroad...
Since Soviet Russia imposes an export duty on furs, caviar, antiques and such (unless bought with foreign currency at Torgsin stores), Moscow acclaimed Istanbul's act of justice. "We know," said a Soviet customs official, ''that nearly all diplomats accredited to U. S. S. R. smuggle out antiques and furs, but they would call us barbarous if we did anything about...
Serious, square-headed Ivan I. Gordeeff, agent in the U. S. for Russia's great Torgsin chain-store system, proudly announced last week in Manhattan that Torgsin had taken over the U. S. 5?-&-10?? store idea. Torgsin's 5-&-10 kopek stores are already doing business in Leningrad, Moscow, Kharkov and a few other big cities. They are actually 5-kopek (4?), 10-kopek (9?), 25, 50 and 100-kopek or one-ruble (87?) stores. Like all Torgsin stores they are designed as bait for foreigners' money. For 5-&-10 they sell knives, tumblers, toothpaste, soap...
...Torgsin stores in Soviet Russia, preferred trade is in foreign currency, preferably gold and silver, which Russia badly needs to buy goods abroad. But a foreigner may turn in his money at a Soviet bank or at Torgsin and get paper rubles and a booklet showing how many rubles he has bought. When he pays a Torgsin clerk with rubles he must present the booklet, have his ruble total marked down. Thus a Russian may not buy at a Torgsin store unless a relative abroad has sent him a money order through Torgsin. Nor may a foreigner use rubles bootlegged...