European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 13, 1977, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Doily Magazine m a Muhm a it s not the ornate hallway of a museum or an opera House it s the Moscow subway. Farm Motif mosaic decorates subway s Kiev station. By phys is Johnson f you did t know where you were you would feel you were in a 19th Century Castle a fancy theater lobby or at least at a museum Entrance. But actually you Are standing in a station of the Moscow subway. Though the Moscow metro is a showpiece the Pride of officials and tour guides its Gran Deur is not always completely pleasing to artistic eyes. But by its order and cleanliness alone it can and does Jar a foreign visitor. There Are 130 subway stations stretching Over 235 Kilometres underneath the soviet capital of 7.5 Mil lion inhabitants. The Beauty of the subway is Only outstripped by its efficiency. Nearly the entire population of Moscow uses the metro daily. The Price is less than eight cents a ride 13.50 for a monthly ticket including the use of buses and other surface transportation to ride anywhere in this vast network. As you descend on some of the fastest and longest escalators i be seen you can t but wonder at the disciplined and orderly crowds even during Rush hour. You arrive amidst Marble Arches pillars and Chrystal chandeliers with huge mosaics lining the is photos by red Grandy sides and ends of Halls depicting historical scenes. The Kiev station for instance. Carries a ukrainian theme since its namesake the City of Kiev is the capital of the Ukraine. It is one of the fanciest. Each station is different but All Are ornate with statuary paintings or mosaics. There is no litter no Grafitti. No advertisements and very Little noise truly impressive to a West Erner who has used the subways in new York. London. Paris or Frankfurt smoking is forbidden throughout the system the muscovites almost appear Ghostlike As they do their daily commuting almost All of them appear Well dressed and clean though their cloth Coats no furs Rcpt in the hats arc of dark colors and not the latest fashion. All of them Wear hats the men All sport the typical russian fur hat and the women Wear either knit or pot shaped fur hats Seldom made of anything except Rabbit. One sees hardly any shopping bags. This is puzzling because standing in line does seem to be a Way of life in Moscow stores. The subway has been in use since 1935. The trains Are completely automatic now. Making their programmed routes with Only safety inspectors no Drivers or conductors another impressive feature of the Moscow metro you can ride anywhere anytime of night without the slightest fear of being mugged. Russian guide explains the subway system to yugoslav visitor. Moscow has 130 subway stations stretching Over 235 Kilometres. Friday May 13, 1977 the stars and stripes Page 13