New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-11-06

Of communication via Archangel
and Siberia; the marine freights are
so abnormal that no grain, mineral
ore or naphtha from southern Rus
STA and Trans-Caucasia, manganese
from Trans-Caucasia or naphtha
frcm Baku can afford those costly
WAYS of transport. But, apart from
the expens:veness of such transit to
the sea, it is more than doubtful if
the Russian railways could cope
with such a problem. Even now
Russia's great share in the war, by
her 100000 army and reserves,
demands nearly all the railway
transport, and merchandise for
Petrograd, Moscow and other indus
trial towns has to lie at the stations
for weeks, awaiting its turn to be
forwarded.
This lack of commodity traffic has
caused in the towns a temporary
scarcity of food and fuel, and con-
sequently the cost of living in the
towns has enormously increased.
This difficulty has been accentuated
bv the influx of about 100000 refu-
gees from invaded Poland, Lithu
nnia and Volhynia, who nearly all
focked to towns and brought up the
rents to unprecedented heights. The
lower middle and working classes
have been the first TO suffer.
But for the 120,000,000 of Rus
sian peasantry the war in many
ways has even raised the standard
of life. That the Russian peasants
economic condition has improved can
be seen from the increasing savings
deposits. Before the war the aver
age yearly savings deposits were be-
tween 100000 and 100000 rubles.
During the first year, when vodka
was prohibited, they rose to $1,000
600, and in the first six months of
this year to 60,00O,0O0 rubles $780,
00O,000). The State Bank, which
had formerly 400 savings banks
in the country, during the war has
been obliged to double this number.
Many people are inclined to at
tribute this exclusively to the pro-
hibition of vodka; but although this
undoubtedly has had a most bene-
fetal effect on Russian popular life,
it must not be forgotten that the
war has created many openings for
tho peasants to earn money, and
work is better compensated at pres
ent. A great part of the popula-
ton, which during the long Russian
winter could get little or no work in
town, now are employed in war work
for the government or in the estab-
lishments created by the zemstvos
provincial councils) and municipal
tiles for the army.
Although the western provinces,
especially Poland, are ruined by the
war, though the millions of war
expenses will lie heavily on future
state budgets of Russia, the nation,
and especially the peasantry, will
emerge from the war not ruined and
exhausted, but in better and
stronger condition.
AS to industry and manufacture,
Russia is in an entirely different po-
sition from Germany, which is los
ing its markets and where, apart
from war industries, other factories
are paralyzed from lack of raw ma
terial and men. In the mean time,
Russia, which formerly imported
nearly all her manufactured goods
from Germany and Austria, is max
ing all possible efforts by private
individuals, municipal and state en-
terprise to increase and develop ma
tional resources and to provide at
once for her own needs. Russia
may suffer temporarily from the
strain Of the war, but, being an agri-
cultural country, her population can
not be definitely ruined, and the
present necessity Of relying on her
own resources will help to emanci-
pate her from her former economic
dependence on Germany.