◆ SpookStack

Latest ot we we clashed head-on with Soviet bureaucra pit was here th we were kept under definite surveillance; it was here that \ found a remnant of the old, hostile, anti-American displays a attitudes that have happily gone out of fashion in more acce sible parts of the Soviet Union. As a result, we were unable accomplish our main purpose in coming to Akmolinsk: we nev got outside the town onto one of the new farms. The only vie we gained of the new lands program itself was from the air | the way to and from Akmolinsk. This glimpse of vast new fiel stretching as far as the eye could see across the flat emptine of the central Asian plain was breathtaking and impressive, b it was no substitute for direct ground observation of the hu machines at work, the new farms in construction or the 19 crop in preparation. Judged by this result alone, the Akmolin visit would have to be written off as a failure. Fortunately, there were some valuable by-products. In t first place, we learned something about the plight of the in vidual and unknown citizen who tries to do battle with t massive Sovict bureaucracy. Bureaucracy and big governme always go together, and in the Soviet Union where governme is bigger than anywhere else, bureaucracy manages somehow keep pace. As in Penza, we spent three days trying to beat do its provincial expression in Akmolinsk and retired in total defe: Basieally, the problem was that the particular official who giv _ permission to foreigners to move outside the city was away, a in his absence nothing could be done. Delegation of respon: bility is not a part of the Soviet system. Nobody will give permission not specifically within his sphere of responsibili Neither will he provide a direct answer as to when the need official will return or whether he can be reached in the interi: In our case, local agricultural officials were in constant telepho communication with their chief, but even our able Intour guide was unable to learn where he was or whether our requ: was ever transmitted. For three days we went from pillar post, and the only answer we ever got was: “The countrysi is no concern of mine.” Anti-American Feeling We also saw something of the openly suspicious clims about which Westerners have complained in the past. In sha contrast to the relaxing atmosphere and !ack of surveillan that we noted in other Soviet cities, Akmolinsk officials h apparently not yet been notified of the change in Soviet poli foward the West. Still to be seen in the town’s “park of res 54