THE TESTIMONY OF MONSIEUR HERRIOT	243
to bring forward such an "explanation" for the benefit of the
visitor from France, without even asking himself whether it
was consistent with the collapse of cattle farming as announced
by the Soviets themselves.
Before the train left the Russian frontier station M. Herriot's
most faithful companion, Helfand, took his leave of the French
guests. He had been the first to greet them on August 26 at
Odessa, was the last to leave them on September 10, and had
guided the expedition with the greatest care and prudence. Now
Helfand is one of the most influential and best known officials
of the Ogpu—a fact of considerable interest, for it indicates
that the journey of the French visitors had been under the
aegis of the real rulers of the Soviet Union, the Ogpu, from
beginning to end and in every detail. Thus it was possible that
everything should go so smoothly, that the populace should
cheer enthusiastically whenever M. Herriot was seen, and that
on no single occasion any evidence should be obtruded of
the drab misery of Russian life, still less of the famine. One
can imagine with what complacency Helfand on his return to
Moscow reported to his chief the satisfactory supervision of
the French expedition from Odessa to the Latvian frontier.
From the frontier station M. Herriot sent a flowery telegram
of thanks to Litvinov, concluding thus: "Please convey my
heartfelt thanks to all your collaborators and those who con-
tributed to make my journey so pleasant and instructive, and
also to the peoples of the Soviet Union, whose grandiose work
of reconstruction and loyalty to the cause of peace are a subject
for enthusiasm." Before leaving the country M. Herriot thus
expressed his thanks not only to Litvinov and his assistants, but
also to the pacific peoples of the Soviet Union, to the Russians^
Ufarainians^ White Russians, Turcomans, Caucasians and the
rest, of whose conditions he learnt so little during his journey.
The preparation and execution of M. Herriot's expedition
must be admitted to be a masterpiece of Soviet propaganda>
and any states arranging similar trips for foreign guests of