New-York tribune., 1920-02-28
Trotzky Tells
Red Army to
Fight Hunger
Plans for Transformation
Of Soldiers Into Organ.
lied Labor Regiments
Outlined Before Congress
Explains Economic Woes
Lack Of Raw Material, Not
Soviet, Held Responsible
for Closing of Factories

LONDON, Feb. 27.--Leon Trotzky,
Minister of War of Soviet Russia. ad.
dressing the third Russian congress,
held in Moscow January 25 last, out
lined the Bolshevik plan for converting
the "Red" army into an army Of labor,
according to reports of his speech
reaching here. Referring to the work
of the Red army. Trotzky said:
"They 1.-THE soldiers have learned
under the very hardest conditions to
lead hundreds Of thousand of organ
lied masses and have led peasants into
battle. They will be trained officers
There is still one way open to the re-
organization of national economy-the
way Of uniting the army and labor and
changing the military detachments Of
the army into detachments of labor
army.
MANY in the army have already ac-
complished their military task. but
they cannot be demobilized as yet.
Now that they have been released from
their military duties, they must fight
against economic ruin and against hun
ger: they must work to obtain fuel,
peat and other heat producing prod
ucts; they must take part in building,
in clearing the lines of snow, in re-
pairing roads, building sheds, grinding
-four, etc.
Project Already Uuder Way
eve have already organized several
of these armies. and they have been
allotted their tasks. One army must
obtain foodstuffs for the workmen Of
the districts in which it was formerly
stationed, and it also will cut wood,
cart it to the railways and repair en-
gines. Another army will help in the
laying down Of railway lines for the
transport of crude oil. A third labor
army will be used to repair agricul-
: tural implements and machines, and, in
the spring, will take part in working
the land.
"At the present time among the
working masses there must be the
greatest exactitude and CONSCIENTIOUS
ness, together with responsibility to
the end, and there must be the utmost
strictncss and severity, both in small
and great matters. If the most ad-
vanced workmen of the country will
devote their thoughts, all their will
and ali their revolutionary duty to the
onusc of regulating economic affairs,
lead Russia on a new free road, to the
confounding of our enemies and the
Joy Of our friends"
Trotzky pointed out in his speech
that the economic situation in Russia
to day is not unlike that existing
throughout Europe, only the problems
are more acute.
Raw Materials Cut OF
eve we're cut off from our coal sup
pl~, crude oil and cotton" said Trotzky.
"Under these conditions can the Soviet
regime be blamed? Is it the source Of
evil? a factory may be run on capi-
tahstic lines. it may belong to one per-
son or company, it may be socialized
or may form part of complete cont
nunist state, but if it lacks raw ma
terials it cannot work. The Russian
proletarlat already feels responsible
for the welfare of the country and for
its economic life. The hardships and
poverty we are suffering are educating
the workers of the proletariat. Under
those conditions every workman and
every workwoman are beginning to re-
alize what economic life means to the
country. This makes US confident that
we ill overcome our economic disor-
ganizatiOn.
Control of Workers Asserted
"We shall succeed if qualified and
trained workers take part in produc-
tive labor. Trade unions must regis
ter qualified workmen in the villages.
Only in those localities where trade
union methods are inadequate other
methods must be introduced, in par
ticular that Of compulsion, because
LABOR conscrlption gives the state the
right to tell the qualified workman
who is employed on some unimportant
work in his village You are obliged to
leave your present employment and go
to Sormovo or Koiomna, because there
your work is required
Labor conscription means that the
qualified workmen who leave the armv
must take their work books and pro-
ceed to places where they are required
where their presence is necessary to the
economic system of the country. We
must feed these workmen and guaran-
tee them tie minimum food ration"