Mr. Taylor. I imagine they would have had to have spoken very plainly and slowly and using simple words for her to have understood any of it.
Mr. Jenner. I believe I interrupted you at a point where you stated that you talked generally about some of Lee's experiences and observations about Russia. Would you continue from that point, indicating as best you can now recall, what was said about Lee's experiences in Russia?
Mr. Taylor. It's difficult to remark specifically about what we talked of that day. Perhaps it would be better if I—uh—told you all I can remember that he said about Russia on several occasions now rather than—because I cannot remember specifically what we discussed on that day.
Mr. Jenner. All right. So we can get one point in the record—I'll probably ask more specifically about the different occasions later on. But give us a running account such as you have indicated you desire to make.
Mr. Taylor. All right. Lee, on various occasions, and I discussed the life that he led in Russia, his experiences in Russia, and his general observations about it. I guess I should best start with his observations of family life there.
He and Marina lived in an apartment. It was about 10 x 14. And he remarked that all families in Russia lived in apartments of this approximate size regardless of the size of the families—that there were no private residences as we think of them. And that six family units would be grouped around a community kitchen and lavatory, and where all the families shared the same facilities. And that he and Marina did live in this manner. That he worked as a sheet-metal fabricator in the town of Minsk, and received for his remuneration for his work 45 rubles a month—which was the minimum, he said, that everyone in Russia receives whether they work or not.
He went into some detail about what is received directly from the State without payment. In other words, what services a Russian citizen receives in what we would call socialized services—such as medicine. A Russian citizen does not have to pay for medical services; the house—apartment, a place to live, a Russian citizen does not have to pay for it. There is no charge for this. And we also discussed what other people made. I believe he said Marina received 180 rubles a month for her work as a pharmacist. And that she had received training in that. And we discussed their school system somewhat—how a student that worked hard is allowed to continue with his schooling, whereas a student that either doesn't work hard or isn't capable is taken only to a level of which they are capable and then put to work.
And we went on and discussed their financial system a little bit further, and I learned that a person does get raises in a job, that salaries—once you are given a job, why your salary does increase as you continue through the years on a skilled job.
Mr. Jenner. As your skills increase?
Mr. Taylor. No; at the same job.