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PARTISAN REVIEW
by the Party members, and in the non-Communist countries the
prospect of these advantages, are factors which contribute consider–
ably, but it would be a dangerous simplification and underestimation
if we were to limit ourselves to these in explaining the Communist
influence among the intelligentsia, say, in France. The example of
France might be taken as typical: the influence of Communism
is strongest where the regime is not yet established, while it disappears
little by little where the regime is in power, as the example of the
German Soviet Zone shows most clearly.
I first saw Moscow in March 1944; the metropolis of world
Communism lay spread out before me as our American airplane
emerged from the clouds. I cannot say that it left me indifferent. I
was already somewhat swayed by the treatment accorded me, un–
expectedly good for a prisoner of war; in addition there was the
plane trip directly to the capital. The Douglas machine landed on
the airfield Tushino, and while my guide, a woman officer, phoned,
I was treated to tea and caviar in an elegant salon. How could the
guard by the door bother me now? I would not have been astonished
had I been led from here directly to a reception in the Kremlin.
It is true that I was surprised by the immediate familiarity of
the carefully dressed waitress, who told me during breakfast that her
husband had gone over to the Germans as early as 1941.-My guide
parted from me in front of the airport building and turned me over
to a major. Seeing the comfortable car that was waiting for me, I
felt so shabby in my torn non-commissioned officer's uniform that I
gave the half loaf of bread which I still carried under my arm to the
guard as a parting gift, saying, "Take it, I won't need it any more."
-We drove into town on the broad asphalt street. Now and then the
friendly major, who sat next to the driver, pointed out a building
to me, "There, a subway station!" "Where are we going, anyway?"
"To the hotel," he replied, "but first you must have a hath and a
haircut."
The streets became narrower; we turned many corners, until
the car finally stopped in front of a high, heavy iron gate. The
driver blew his horn and the gate opened; but a few yards beyond
there was another similar gate. Signal- and again we drove through.
The car drew up in front of a large red brick building. I noticed that
