The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1921-10-18


mitted to that country with the
american relief worker; found
the economic conditions there of
great interest. The bars AGAINST
free trading had been removed
by the Lenine government and
the people were again allowed to
bay anG sell without danger of
raEfscation. But wages in Rus
sia's deprecated currency were
fantastic.
This condition is described in
the following article, written by
one of the men sent into Russia
and who has previously reported
by cable the famine situation
Moscow, Oct. 1S.-RusSia' S strug-
gle to recover economic normally ov-
erShadows all political considerations
and is the one subject which is com
manding the attention of Russians of
all parties and sects.
The contention of the Bolshevists
hat food and manufactured articles
had been boarded has been justified
to certain extent by the sudden ap
paarance upon the markets of nearly
all kinds of foodstuffs and notions
Market stalls and small shops op-
ened speedily after the declaration
OF free trade in domestic commerce.
Needles, pins, thread, nails, toilet ar
ticles. cloth. shoes. timed milk. Au;-
tralian corned beef, English bottled
pickles. pressed caviar, sugar, cheese
tea, coffee, biscuits and various
household articles and furniture
made their appearances suddenly.
Prices are SO high that only the
wealthy, as wealth goes in Russia to-
day, can buy extensively. But the
market folks do such lively bust
ness that the Bolshevist claim about
extensive boarding of money, foreign
as we'll as Russian, is also supported
to considerable extent
Larger shops have not opened eX-
tensively in the center OF Moscow
and the small hatters. shoe dealers
and clothiers have chiefly confined
their activities to various street mar
kCtS and baZaarS. AS the weeks of
free trade drag on, merchants are
becoming more secure in their posi-
tiOn and have apparently lost all fear
that the Soviet government threw OPP
en- the markets for the purpose of
drawing goods out of hiding and con
hscating them.
In one of the worst famine centers
on the Nolga the Associated Press
correspondent saw hungry refugees
starving within sight of markets
where bread, meat and all sorts Of
food were displayed in great quant-
ties for sale at prices entirely beyond
the reach of the average Russian
peasant.
"Why don't you seize the food and
feed these people, the correspond
ent asked provincial governor who
was not able to obtain enough food
to give 10000 orphans a scanty ra-
ton.
THAT would only make food scar
GER" the governor replied. ut would
drive all the supplies back under COW
er and the well to do would not be
able to buy. Consequently they would
have to depend on the government
rations and make the situation worse.
When money and manufactured ar
ticles can be exchanged legally for
food the peasants bring their sup
plies into the markets and the bur
den which the government has in col
lecting food is lessened."
Russians who are in the worst
plight are the formerly well to do
who have not found employment un-
der the Soviet government Employees
of the government all get some food.
Consequently all departments are
greatly overstaffed and the clamor for
| positions is deafening. Salaries are
small and the scale is so varied that
it is impossible to learn what the
standard is But employees work for
food rather than money. One woman
| clerk in the foreign Office told the
correspondent that she received
| 1000 rubles a month. A soldier en-
plOyed as guard at government
guest house says his wage is only
| 1000 rubles a month, with an allow
ance of one pound of black bread. two
| Jumps of sugar and limited amount
| of rice and cassia, or rough meal
made from millet and used by the
Russians as a sort of breakfast food.
With bread selling at prices ranging
from 5000 to 1000 rubles a pound
according to quality, these salaries
are ridiculous.
| Workmen in some of the automo-
| bile factories are reported to receive
from 100000 to 100000 rubles a
month. Others are paid less paper
money and receive perquisites in the
way of manufactured products, food,
rent, etc. So, in all the maze of
1 figures, it is impossible to reach any
average wage or salary.
Under the revised economic plan,
] Continued on Page g.