The New York herald., 1921-10-30
SOVIET FREE TRADE
OPENS FOOD HOARDS
Nearly All Kinds Of Eatables
and Notions Appear Sud-
.ic
s denly in Markets.
RED CONTENTION UPHELD
Bolshevists Declared Neces-
saries Had Been Secreted
e Under Old System.

A staff correspondent of the Associ-
ated Press writing from Moscow ON
September q says Russia's struggle to
recover economic equilibrium over
shadows all political considerations and
is tho one subject which Is command
ing the attention Of Russians Of all
parties ana sscts. Tho contention Of
tho Bolshsvists that food ana manu-
factured articles had been boarded has
been Justified to a certain extent by
the sudden appearance upon the mar
ksts of nearly all kinds Of foodstuffs
aud notions.
Market stalls and small shops opened
speedily after tho declaration Of free
trade in domestic commerce Needles.
) pins, thread. nails, toilet articles. cloth,
shoes, timed milk. Australian corned
bcef. English bottled pickles. pressed
: caviar. sugar, cheeee.- tea. coffee. bis
4 cAits and various household articles and
Z furniture made their appearances sud
Ldenly.
Prices are so high that only the
= wealthy. as wealth goes In Russia to-
day, can buy extensively. But the mar
lSet folk do such a lively business that
the Bolshevist claim about extensive
boarding OF money-forcign a. we'll as
Russian-is also supported to q con-
siderable extent.
Merchants Feel More Secure.
Larger shops have not opened extern
sively in the centre Of Moscow, and
the small hatters. shoe dealers and
elothiers have chiefly confined their ac-
tivities TO various street markets ana
bszaars. AS the weeks Of free trade
drag on merchants s.re becoming moro
(. secure in their position and have appar-
entity lost all fear that Soviet Govern
rnent threw open the markets for the
purpose of drawing goods out Of hid
y ing and confiscating them.
tsl bn one of the worst famine centres
+ song the Volga the Associated Press COR
: respondent saw hungry Refugees starv-
! ing within sight of markets where bread.
ssglncat and all sorts OF food were displayed
ssiny great quantities for sale at prices
sntirely beyond the reach Of ths average
Z Russian peasant
rT %Why don't you seize the food and feed
/. these people?" the correspondent asked
provincial governor. who was no,
lehis to obtain enough food to give 0.0oe
Fcrnhans a scanty ration.
rThat would only make food scarcer.'
IL tfE BOVcIlOT Ftplitu. W0ClQ QftNe
alt the supplies back under cover and
ths wcll-to-do would not be able te
buy. Consequently they would have ts
2 depend on the Government rations and
4 make The situation worse. When money
!. and manufactured articles can be ex'
changed legally for food the peasants
bring their supplies into the markets
Il aud the burden which the Government
Il has in collecting food Is lessened."
h: = Those I'm Worst Plight.
Y Russlans who are in the worst pligh
y Erp the formerly well-to-do who hav,
: not found employment under the Sovie
s..s Gcvernment. Employees OF the Govern
MONT All get some food. Consequently
aU departments arc greatly overstaffet
Hd the clamor for positions Is deafen.
II ing. Salaries are small and the scale
NJ is.so varied that II is impossible to learr
what the standard is. But employees
work for food rather than money.
!, One woman clerk in the Foreign once
4 told the correspondent that she received
900 rubles a month. A soldier EN-
rlcyed as guard at a Government guest
house says his wage is only 1000 rubles
\ month, with an allowance Of one
n pound of black bread, two humps OF
sltzsr and limited amount OF rice and
ca.Ssia, or rough meal made from millet
:. and used by the Russians an a sort of
breakfast food with bread selling at
prices ranging from 5000 to 1000 rubles
n pound, according to quality. these
salaries are ridiculous. 'ts.
h, Workmen in some of the automobile
factories are reported TO receive from
900, 600 to 100000 rubles @ month.
Others are paid less paper money and
* receive perquisites in the way of manu-
4 factured products. food. rent. &c, So. In
ali the maze of figures II is impossible
10 reach any average wage or salary.
~ Free Rent Disappeary.
ns Under the revised economic plan fares
must be paid on railways and street
cars Charges are also to be made for
I, light telephones, telegraph and postage
Z, Tree rent is also disappearing and rent
ors are 10 be required TO keep up re-
pairs at their own expense under the
objection of house committees.
sF These changes are increasing the diff
nculties of persons without incomes and
forcing gentlefoll1s into the street mar
kets with their remaining furs, jewelry,
silverware. china, linen and clothing
p However, most OF the old time aristoc-
Z raey has long ago learned the ways Of
trade, and II is not the hardship It once
was to stand in the streets and barter
n away ones personal effects
W. Many OF the former members Of leis-
lure classes have taken very naturally
TO changed conditions and gone In for
trading on n strictly commercial basis
The only two restaurants In Moscow
where satisfactory meals are served are
\ stated by cultured women who speak
German and French as fuently as Rus
eian and receive diners with all tn,
courtesy found In better class drawing
s rooms
:. The manager OF one of these restau-
rants is the wife of an officer high ir
the Bolshevist Red army who was for.
fnorly colonel in the Imperial army
Her husbands salary Is wholly made
ouate to support her two children and
aged parents so she works for the Gov
eminent until the new economic policy
makes II possible for her TO enter bust
ness OF a more remunerative sort.
EXPORTS FROM NEW YORK.
Exports from New York yesterday
Wheat 299.994 bushels; barley. 49.0e
bushels; flour 43.314 sacks; bacon. 4.
A.. -