The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1920-03-15
CONSUMPTION and Enforced
Labor Has Been Estab-
lished In the Country
TROTZKY ORDERS
FIRST ARMY TO WORK
Urges the People to Prepare for Agri-
cultural Activity This Spring - Ac-
tive Campaign Against Illiteracy Is
Under Way.
By DAVID LAWRENCE.

Copyright 1920 by The Reformer.)
WASHINGTON, March 15.-Dreams
of leisure days and pleasure-filled nights
haven't come true in Soviet Russia. In
stead the rugged hand of discipline,
which, like the governing classes of the
past, threatens severe punishment to the
Stacker, is yoking millions of workmen
| in an army of toll.
| News from the inside of Russia is
rare. Communication is difficult. But
budget of information has just come
froms authentic sources and through I'M
questioned channels 1t tells of regenera
ton inside Russia. but not by the nebu
lous programs and Utopian methods so
long preached by the demagogues, but
by the familiar process of CONSUMPTION
and enforced labor
Large armies of labor converted from
the Soviet military forces are working
Sundays and overtime on weekdays.
Even women in the Petrograd section
are assisting. Professional unions are
registering qualified workmen. Idlers
find no comfort in the new program OF
Bolshevist RUSSIA program OF get
back to work"
Comrade Trotzky himself as president
of the revolutionary war council signs
the proclamation ordering the first rev
olutionary army to work. He exhorts his
followers to show interchangeable energy
in their work ''as much as if it We're a
combat or fight
After referring to the necessity for
the production and collection Of food
! supplies, Trotsky says:
Spring is coming This is the reason
lof agricultural work. As the produc-
{ tive force of our factories has lessened
II the number of new farm implements
: which can be delivered has become in
u sufficient. The Revolutionary labor
army will employ its work shops as wei
a as its workmen in order to repair sucl
:, tools and machinery az are needed. Nhei
. the season arrives for work in the fields
the Red Cavalry and infantry will PROV
i that they know how to pillow the earth.
re The results are already beginning t
g show in cleaning up the territory con
II trolled by the Bolsheviki. Conditions j
4 Petrograd especially have been improved
To CONSUMPTION can be attributed a
increase of 80 per cent in the labor fore
N available for the Bolshevik government
n With CONSUMPTION goes intensive educa
er ton In Moscow campaign has bee
4 against illiteracy. The Bolshevik lea6
e. ers have raised the slogan, "llliteraey
an the worst legacy of autoeracy Ate
TO certain dates, no illiterates will be a
IN lowed in the membership of trade union
nj They must learn to read and writ
r. though they will be paid for the tin
spent in studying.
From the CONSUMPTION process, the 81
preme committee in charge states thu
this wears requirements necessitate Il
enrolment of 100000 qualified lahore
Ter and more than 100000 unskilled labo
crs. Individuals must be ready to pr
ceed to any place and at any time in
me the same as the seective draft law W
ers operated by the United States i'll til
EN- of war.
he All persons between the ages OF
is land 30 have been required to register +
-er, work. Out of the total number, mocha
,es les and workmen familiar with the pr
md duction of equipment needed i'll tran
TIA portation were promptly put to work
by rolling stock factories. Large bodies
is soldiers were modified to saw timl
ace and produce agricultural machinery a
and mend farm implements.
in "The revolutionary tribunals" 50
Trotsky's order, should punish the Ia
ous and the parasites and the thieves of
leat tional property. Conscientious soldit
age workmen and revolutionary peasa
hels should be in the first rank. I'll
n a bravery and devotion should serve as
ion example to others and inspire them
'us- act similarly
us The Bolshevik experiment still c
tinues. But the latest information fl