Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-11-18
WE WENT TOOFAST.
LEVINE ADMITS IN
IDENTIFIED SPEECH
BY f. 4. MACKENZIE
ID II H AZ 4TA1ANAAII4FE1HA II
Special Cable to The Atlanta Journal and
Chicngn Daily NeWs-COpYright, 1922.)

|
Chicago Daily News-Copyrght, 1929
MOSCOW, Nov. 16.-"We went
too fast" said Nikolai Lenlne in his
keenly expected speech before the
Communist internationale.
He spoke for more than an hour in
justification of the new economic
policy and Russia's departure from
the first Communist DEGREES. His
tone was quiet and his style free
from purple patches" or cheap ap
peals of any kind. 1t was the sort
of statement the president Of great
undertaking might make at an an
nual meeting of the shareholders.
Russia, he said, had adopted state
capitalism because the small bour-
geoisie was predominant in num-
bers. State capitalism was most ser
viceable for Russian economic con-
ditions and through state capitalism
they could work their way TO So
ciahsn.
1T is not difficult" he said, "to
prepare a program for attaining
power. Your enemies sometimes do
mad things that give you the vic
tory. 1t is a much harder task to
prepare a program that will enable
YOU to build up a Socialist state
when power is attained. In Febru
ary, 1921, the situation was disas-
trCus. The masses of peasants ana
even of the town proletarlat were
dissatisfied. After attaining power
we went too far. The masses felt
that. We launched our transforma-
ton too fast without sufficient
forces at our disposal, and SO we de-
cided unanimously that new eco
nomic policy should be adopted ana
applied"
Reviews Results
Now over a little more than year
and a half they could review results.
He claimed that the success OF the
new policy had helped to stabilize
the value of the ruble. There were,
he said, more than a quadrillion of
rubles now in circulation. They
.could not comprehend this somewhat
fantastic figure but they could re-
duce it by cutting off the expense at
the end. Some had already been CUT
off and more might be. They kept
the ruble stable for three months
last year and for five months TINS
wear. The peasants, formerly nos
tile, were now economically SATISFIED
1.-THE peasants were against us q
wear ago" continued Lenine. There
was such unrest among them that
we were in danger OF losing the re
volution but the new economic policy
won the peasants for us.
The small industries had been
freed and had made great advances
| but the situation as to the large IN
| dustries was very hard. That was
! the governments great problem. nc
/ put the large factories and big IN
! dustries on a. firm basis meant the
| expenditure of 100 10000 gold fu
| bles $3.50 900 OOW. They did not have
much money but they had about ~,
| 900 900 gold rubles $4,000, GOO
which they had saved and we're Gle
voting to this purpose.
Building up the industry or the
! country is a most important thins
i for the nation. If we do not sue
coed we will cease to be a civilized
people and be doomed to destruction
We must save"' cried Lenine. witt
a flash of his old energy and enthus
| iaSm.
Cues for Economy
| "Spare, Spare! Spare! Economic
! ELCOnOIIllZ6. ECOIlOlllIAC' W = iih''SN ~
ianyth .ng which is not absolutely
necessary. There must even be econ
omy in expenditure for education.
Len.ne discussed the admission O
mixed companies in which the gov
eminent allowed capitalists, usual
! ly fore gners, to share in big con
Germs. The Russian government
however, kept control and could dis
solve the companies any time it pleas
ed. This foreign participation
was necessary. First they mus
learn from foreigners their methods
of conducting business. Learn
Learn Learn! They are now train
ing a new staff of young people ant
in time they will be able to take tn
places of the foreigners.
/ The speakers rid:cuied his country
men for their mistakes, stupidltle
and dumheiten, some of which
were deliberately caused by the OLE