the crisis in russia(俄国危机)-第21章
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word？ I would ask any who doubt this to turn again to my first two
chapters describing the nature of the economic crisis in Russia； and to
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remind themselves how； not only the lack of things but the lack of men； is
intimately connected with the lack of transport； which keeps laborers ill
fed； factories ill supplied with material； and in this way keeps the towns
incapable of supplying the needs of the country； with the result that the
country is most unwilling to supply the needs of the town。 No Russian
Government unwilling to allow Russia to subside definitely to a lower
level of civilization can do otherwise than to concentrate upon the
improvement of transport。 Labor in Russia must be used first of all for
that； in order to increase its own productivity。 And； if purchase of help
from abroad is to be allowed； Russia must 〃control〃 the outflow of her
limited assets； so that； by healing transport first of all； she may increase
her power of making new assets。 She must spend in such a way as
eventually to increase her power of spending。 She must prevent the
frittering away of her small purse on things which； profitable to the vendor
and doubtless desirable by the purchaser； satisfy only individual needs and
do not raise the producing power of the community as a whole。
RYKOV ON ECONOMIC PLANS AND ON THE
TRANSFORMATION OF THE COMMUNIST PARTY
Alexei Rykov； the President of the Supreme Council of Public
Economy； is one of the hardest worked men in Russia； and the only time I
was able to have a long talk with him （although more than once he
snatched moments to answer particular questions） was on a holiday； when
the old Siberian Hotel； now the offices of the Council； was deserted； and I
walked through empty corridors until I found the President and his
secretary at work as usual。
After telling of the building of the new railway from Alexandrovsk
Gai to the Emba； the prospects of developing the oil industry in that
district； the relative values of those deposits and of those at Baku； and the
possible decreasing significance of Baku in Russian industry generally； we
passed to broader perspectives。 I asked him what he thought of the
relations between agriculture and industry in Russia； and supposed that
he did not imagine that Russia would ever become a great industrial
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country。 His answer was characteristic of the tremendous hopes that
nerve these people in their almost impossible task； and I set it down as
nearly as I can in his own words。 For him； of course； the economic
problem was the first； and he spoke of it as the director of a huge trust
might have spoken。 But； as he passed on to talk of what he thought
would result from the Communist method of tackling that problem； and
spoke of the eventual disappearance of political parties； I felt I was trying
to read a kind of palimpsest of the Economist and
News from Nowhere； or listening to a strange compound of William
Morris and； for example； Sir Eric Geddes。 He said： 〃We may have to
wait a long time before the inevitable arrives and there is a Supreme
Economic Council dealing with Europe as with a single economic whole。
If that should come about we should； of course； from the very nature of
our country； be called upon in the first place to provide food for Europe；
and we should hope enormously to improve our agriculture； working on a
larger and larger scale； using mechanical plows and tractors； which would
be supplied us by the West。 But in the meantime we have to face the fact
that events may cause us to be； for all practical purposes； in a state of
blockade for perhaps a score of years； and； so far as we can； we must be
ready to depend on ourselves alone。 For example； we want mechanical
plows which could be procured abroad。 We have had to start making
them ourselves。 The first electric plow made in Russia and used in
Russia started work last year； and this year we shall have a number of such
plows made in our country； not because it is economic so to make them；
but because we could get them in no other way。 In so far as is possible；
we shall have to make ourselves self…supporting； so as somehow or other
to get along even if the blockade； formal or perhaps willy…nilly （imposed
by the inability of the West to supply us）； compels us to postpone
cooperation with the rest of Europe。 Every day of such postponement is
one in which the resources of Europe are not being used in the most
efficient manner to supply the needs not only of our own country but of
all。〃
I referred to what he had told me last year about the intended
electrification of Moscow by a station using turf fuel。
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〃That；〃 he said； 〃is one of the plans which； in spite of the war； has
gone a very long way towards completion。 We have built the station in
the Ryezan Government； on the Shadul peat mosses； about 110 versts from
Moscow。 Before the end of May that station should be actually at work。 （It
was completed； opened and partially destroyed by a gigantic fire。） Another
station at Kashira in the Tula
Government （on the Oka）； using the small coal produced in the
Moscow coalfields； will be at work before the autumn。 This year similar
stations are being built at Ivano…Voznesensk and at Nijni…Novgorod。
Also； with a view to making the most economic use of what we already
possess； we have finished both in Petrograd and in Moscow a general
unification of all the private power…stations； which now supply their
current to a single main cable。 Similar unification is nearly finished at
Tula and at Kostroma。 The big water…power station on the rapids of the
Volkhov is finished in so far as land construction goes； but we can proceed
no further until we have obtained the turbines； which we hope to get from
abroad。 As you know； we are basing our plans in general on the
assumption that in course of time we shall supply the whole of Russian
industry with electricity； of which we also hope to make great use in
agriculture。 That； of course； will take a great number of years。〃
＇Nothing could have been much more artificial than the industrial
geography of old Russia。 The caprice of history had planted great
industrial centers literally at the greatest possible distance from the sources
of their raw materials。 There was Moscow bringing its coal from Donetz；
and Petrograd； still further away； having to eke out a living by importing
coal from England。 The difficulty of transport alone must have forced
the Russians to consider how they could do away with such anomalies。
Their main idea is that the transport of coal in a modern State is an almost
inexcusable barbarism。 They have set themselves； these ragged
engineers； working in rooms which they can hardly keep above freezing…
point and walking home through the snow in boots without soles； no less a
task than the electrification of the whole of Russia。 There is a State
Committee presided over by an extraordinary optimist called
Krzhizhanovsky； entrusted by the Supreme Council of Public Economy
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and Commissariat of Agriculture with the working out of a general plan。
This Committee includes； besides a number of well…known practical
engineers； Professors Latsinsky； Klassen； Dreier； Alexandrov； Tcharnovsky；
Dend and Pavlov。 They are investigating the water power available in
different districts in Russia； the
possibilities of using turf； and a dozen similar questions including；
perhaps not the least important； investigation to discover where they can
do most with least dependence on help from abroad。＇
Considering the question of the import of machinery from abroad； I
asked him whether in existing conditions of transport Russia was actually
in a position to export the raw materials with which alone the Russians
could hope to buy what they want。 He said：
〃Actually we have in hand about two million poods （a pood is a little
over thirty…six English pounds） of flax； and any quantity of light leather
（goat； etc。）； but the main districts where we have raw material for
ourselves or for export are far away。 Hides； for example； we have in
great quantities in Siberia； in the districts of Orenburg and the Ural River
and in Tashkent。 I have myself made the suggestion that we should offer
to sell this stuff where it is； that is to say not delivered at a seaport； and
that the buyers should provide their own trains； which we should
eventually buy from them with the raw material itself； so that after a
certain number of journeys the trains should become ours。 In the same
districts we have any quantity of wool； and in some of these districts corn。
We cannot； in the present condition of our transport； even get this corn for
ourselves。 In the same way we have great quantities of rice in Turk
