Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-11-14
Soviet Farm Problem Acute as Peasant
Workers Hold Production Near Standstill

nized frankly that the campaign to
increase Russias food supply is para
mount. City workers, who are generally
sympathetic to the Soviet program,
must be fed and the national finances
make it imperative that as little gold
as possible be sent to other countries
for the purchase of food.
There Is under way, concurrently
with the dividing of the peasantry In
the manner outlined, a huge state
farming program. Great estates con.
fiscated by the Soviet have been made
into state farms on which American
tractors and other machinery are used.
The average peasant farm is too small
to make the use of such machinery
economical. Efforts to. induce the
peasants to combine their farms and
buy tractors for mutual use have been
only moderately successful. The peas
antry remains largely individualistic.
Once Exported Wheat.
Before the World War grain was ex.
ported by Russia. It produced much
more than enough for its own use. The
Soviet is striving to regain that position,
but for the immediate future will be
satisfied to produce enough grain to
Is rat1oned in Russia. Each person is
allowed so much day and must draw
1t each day. This Is to assure the gov
eminent that there will be no boarding
and that the supply will be made to 90
as far as possible. Other food supplies
also are rationed, particularly In the
Winter months. During brief Summer
period fresh vegetables are available 70
ease the situation.
Every morning long lines Of house,
wives may be seen at the government,
or cooperative, stores, buying the daily
1000. The tourist may draw a partially
wrong inference from this sight. If the
housewives would spread their visits to
the stores over the whole day, instead
OF concentrating them in the early
forenoon, the lines either would be
eliminated or greatly reduced. But
housewives find it convenient to call
IN the morning, and the lines form.
This Is not to say that no shortage of
food exists, for 1t does, but 1t Is not at
the starvation point, or as great as q
superficial observation indicates.
In 1929, when the American Relief
Administration, under the direction Of
the then Secretary of Commerce, Her
pert Hoover, went to Russia to relieve
the famine, the shortage was due pri-
marty to the prolonged civil wars in
Russia. between the Communist and
capitalist elements, and also resulted
from the decentralization of the World
War. The Communists won the mas
terry and ever since have been wrestling
with the problem Of food supply.
Question Often Asked.
The question, Would the peasants
have joined the revolution If thew had
known that, although they would get
the land, they would not be allowed to
manage 1t Is they pleased? Is one
winch observers OF Russia since the war
often ask.
Lenin's chief oratoricaI slogan was.
Peace, Land and Bread" or, peace to
the country dropping out Of the World
war;, lano 70 the peasants and bread
Tor the workers. The soldiers, peasants
and workers thereupon refused to ficht
further Gear Nicholas abdicated. A
republic was proclaimed, which the
United States promptly recognized.
W!tnln six months the provisional re-
public under Kerensky was overthrown
by Lenin and the Bolshevists and the
communist, or Socialist, state was set
up: me United States. after IL years,
mas not recognized this government.
Russia'S city workers, having been
more nterate and more schooled In
economic issues, have obtained sub
stantially what the revolution promised
to them, though they have suffered
greatly. But the peasants have seen the
gift OF the land fail to bring them
what they had dreamed Of getting in
the way OF greater independence of Nv
ing ana larger returns for their toll. The
Soviet has been unable to fix a price
on grain that would, in turn, buy for
the peasants the boots, clothing, house.
noIo utilities and other commodities de.
sired. The peasant has only one market
Tor THIS grain--the government.
Unable to Fight Back.
And so the world reads dispatches
from Moscow to the effect that this or
that number of peasants have been shot
Tor opposing the Soviet DEGREES on
farming. The vtgor with which the
soviet proceeds against the peasants is
interpreted In some quarters as proof
tnaC the Soviet feels strong enough tc
act drastically and expects to mt
snrougn ITS Specialization plan for the
peasants are in poor position to offsr
violent or revolutionary opposition, THE
Soviet takes extreme care to keen arms
hands. Wv"
Along with this severe policy the So
vet also tries by the use Of lectures.
LraveLng EXHIBITS, teaching peasants TO
read and write, giving PROMISING yssoso
ant boys and girls an education in mod
ern agricultural methods, Introduction
OF crop rotation and other ideas 10
overcome resistance to Soviet aims. pi-
vide and conquer, Caesars Strategy that
won IN ancient Gaul, is the reliance Of
the Soviet. II all peasants cannot he
won over, the hope is to win enough
over so to weaken opposition as to make
it harmless. -''"~'
Prophecy about Soviet Russia il inst
as risky as about China. In each
country there are concealed factors or
processes of thinking and acting. unlike
those to which the remainder of the
world is accustomed, that make fore
casting highly unreliable. On the out
SIDE 1t often does not seem possible
for conditions to be siderable in either
great country, or that the existing re-
gime can stand. The only safe course
is to take an objective view OF the sit
uation and watch the drama unfold. -