It seems that Russia is aware of its basic weakness and tries to shield itself by restricting contacts with foreign countries. In an article published in the June issue of The Soviet Union, Mr. Stephen King- Hall, a member of the British Parliament, reported his impressions based on his recent visit to Russia. He wrote that the Russian Government did not wish that the Russian people should be exposed to Western ideas or thinking. He went on to say that it was only through official channels — not directly — that one could get an idea of the Russian way of life, and that this state of affairs would continue for some time.
Russian isolation was evident during the recent visit of a group of Russian expert who came along with some Americans to this country. The Russians were surprised to find that in India one could travel freely, while in their own country, people had little money to travel on their own. They felt as though they had been transported to a different world. This instance reflected Russia’s lack of exposure to other countries. Obviously, the Russians cannot be kept in ‘cold storage’ indefinitely; one day the wall of isolation would crumble and the world would witness a profound transformation.