Denver labor bulletin., 1917-09-01
WHAT GREAT AMERICA
CAN DO FOR RUSSIA


him to seek momentary oblivion in
strong drink.
About twenty years ago the EN-
peror Alexander III. interested him.
self in the conditions of our peasantry
and ordered an inquiry into the yearly
budgets of the land workers. l was
charged to make the report for the
Zemstvos. 1t was then that / found
out the average budget of the peasant
of Central Russia to be $3.50 per an
mum. He earned that much-and
spent it. Seldom did a muzhik see
more than that amount.
There were several causes for this
wretched state of affairs besides the
general management of the country.
First of all, the peasant was bound
to his community mir or Otshevstva).
The land was divided into very small
portions which were scattered over the
countryside, sometimes very far from
each other.
Secondly, the peasant did not own
the land he was working. The soil
belonged to the Mir The muzhik had
no land. In certain parts of Russia
there were peasant proprietors, but
these were few and their holdings in
fnitesimal.
Thirdly, the implements of labor at
1IiS oPOoal VI lilt ptdSallI "tIt all
tiquated and inadequate. The Russian
winter is very long and the summer
correspondingly short. Summer work
must be hurried and intensified. The
harvest-time, for instance, lasts only
about two weeks. You will readily
appreciate the fact that, with his prim-
tive implements, the muzhik could not
produce much. Sometimes he was able
to rent an extra piece of land. Most
of the peasants did that. But the ad-
ditional piece Of land was small, be-
cause even the twenty dollars an acre,
the price have given above, was
often beyond his means. Then again,
admitting that he could plant enough
seed, the quantity of wheat raised
would prevent him from gathering it
all in time, even with the help of the
women and children of the household.
The same trouble, with the addition of
slightly higher standard of living
to maintain, was met by the small
proprietor of Russia.
Fourthly, the price of wheat which
/ have given, was always and cruelty
very low. The surplus of wheat which
Russia as whole enjoyed was always
sold to Germany. Now, Germany was
benefited to large extent by the
existing commercial treaty and a
preferential tariff. She did not at
| tempt to improve our conditions by
allowing the prices of wheat to be
raised. She kept them purposely as
low as possible
Filthy, the means of communication
were sadly lacking twenty years ago.
Roads, rails, mail, telegraph and ca
nals-all these were almost non-exist-
ent in many parts of the Empire. This
defect caused also the lack of proper
cooperation between individuals and
between communities.
Such were the reasons for which my
country, rich as it is in natural re-
sources, was yet the poorest of all in
comparison.
But the position of Russia, in this
respect, has steadily improved during
the last twenty years. This is espe-
cially true of the last three years,
partly as result of the war, partly
because of the reform which took place
in 1912, the consequences of which
have been, perhaps, more vital than
was anticipated by those who were not
sufficiently acquainted with the econ
omic conditions of Russia. That was
the right given to the peasant to lib
crate himself from the community and
to buy his own land.
After the outbreak of the war came
the suppression of vodka, which made
the peasantry of Russia considerably
richer. That and other causes follow
ing the new conditions, brought about
by the mobilization and the war, have
resulted in the peasant, who received
before twenty-five cents day for his
work, asking and receiving today as
much as two and three dollars day.
He will not work for less. Yet the
price of the necessaries of life in the
country has not increased to a similar
extent. Therefore his lot was i'm
proved. Wheat, however, has gone up.
Our peasants receive better prices for
it. Never have seen so much money
in the country and in the hands of the
peasants as / have seen during these
last two years Of war.
This war, with all it's horrors and
degradation, has nevertheless caused
wonders to be accomplished in Rus
sia. The peasant has learned to think
more practically. He has become edu-
Gated. He has grasped the cause of
his previous wretchedness. His well
fare has been considerably increased.
Before the war, he sold his chicken for
twenty cents, his butter for twenty
cents pound, his dozen eggs for six
cents. Today wonder of wonders, he
does not need to sell these at all. He
can taste the butter he makes; eat his
own chicken. That is, of course, one
OF the reasons why food costs more in
Russia today.
The war, and especially the revolu-
tion, are bound to bring about enor-
nous and unexpected results. When
the storm has passed away, rivers once