The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-09-22
THROWN ON OWN
Russians Told by Soviet to
Shift for Themselves.
Even Famine Stricken Areas
Blamed for Poverty.
SOVIET SHIFTS Responsibility
Workers Told by Moscow to Get
Material for Factories.
BOISheviki Hold Grip, However,
Thru Military.
(By the Associated PressO

Moscow, Sept. 22. = Everywhere
thruout Russia, the soviet government
is unloading responsibility it is unable
to meet. Factory workers are being
urged to obtain their own materials,
run their own affairs and obtain their
own food.
"Decentralize, Do It yourselves.
and do not depend upon the central
government for everything" is the
burden of instructions broadcasted by
the government since domestic free
trade was instituted and the new eco
nomic policy of the Bolsheviki was de-
clared. Provincial officials, la b o r
unions, cooperative societies and
famine relief committees are all told
the same thing.
Famine Victims F1ayed.
NJ. Kalinin, chairman of the Rus
sian general committee for famine re-
lief, chose this admonition as the text
of his speeches during his recent tour
of the famine areas. He berated To-
cal officials for turning their eyes
toward Moscow and urged them to go
out and get food themselves in dis
tricts where it was obtainable.
Departments are being reduced and
large numbers of men are being
thrown out of employment. Those
who have been receiving food have
been placed on reduced rations and
workmen in nationalized factories are
being paid in manufactured products
or in money instead of food, so that
the food responsibilities of the gov
ernment may be ightened.
Capitalization Disastrous.
It seems. however, that Russians,
with the exception of the extreme
communists, are pleased with the
governments change of policy. At
tempts at general Capitalization of
everything proved SO disastrous for
three years that it is probable any
thing new would be welcome as pos
sibly promising relief for the average
citizen.
Communists stoutly insist that the
war and the blockade were wholly re-
sponsible for the breakdown of the
communistic plans and are explaining
that the new system adopted is really
modified communism. and not capt
tallsm. It is possible, however, to find
peasants holding land who will admit
the government owns the soil.
Soviet Not Weakened.
Apart from the ardent communists.
there seems to be a general opinion
that the scheme of granting conces-
sions to operate industries is only
camouflaged capitalism. The military
control that is being exercised and
communist party discipline are so
SbA O44t7 hAldL LAAS oONlSI aD-
parently has not been weakened by its
change of policy. and it is probable it
has been strengthened as the general
public tired of strife, is hopeful that
further changes in the economic policy
of the government will be made.
Outside the famine area, the condi-
ton of peasants is much easier, under
the new plan. which fixes a definite
amount which must be paid in pro-
ducts, and guarantee the peasants
against acquisitions above that amount
It also enables growers to sell or ex-
change their surplus foodstuffs with
out violation of the law.
The unemployment problem, with
winter at hand and little fuel avail
able, threatens to become acute, how
ever. 1t is far more serious in Russian
industrial centers than in countries
avowedly capitahstic, where the food
situation in country districts is easier
and transportation is under less rigid
control than Russia.