Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-10
RUSSIAN PEASANTS
GRUMBLE At SOVIET.
Rural DweIIers Demand
That They Be Given
Modern Things.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
MOSCOW, March 9-Soviet officials
today, while denying that the rule OF
Stain was In danger, admitted the
seriousness of the peasant problem,
which they traced to increased demand
for the products of civilization by the
rural jewellers.
Reports abroad that Nikaloi Bucharin
had resigned the editorship Of Pravda
and the presidency of the Communist
Internationale because of charges that
he was preparing coup against Stain
were characterized as sheer nonsense.
It was said that while Bucharin had
Withdrawn from the editorship he
could not. under the rules, give up
leadership of the Internationale until
the next Congress met.
The reports abroad were attributed
to the rightist tendency Of group OF
Communists headed by Bucharin, M.
Tomsky, president of the Soviet LABOR
Federation. by Alexis /. RykoH. VINO
were inclined to a more liberal peasant
policy and Lessening of the Rigors. to
which village bourgeoise were subjected:
All this was said not to have advanced
beyond the limits of mere theoretical
discussion.
Peasant Problem Large.
Soviet officials said that Bucharin as
the foremost theoretician of the revo-
luton had taken issue with Lenn ana
most of the other leaders, but that ne
never had been considered practical
statesman. never had held any admin
istrative position and admittedly was
UNQUALIFIED for practical leadership.
The peasant problem was said TO De
looming as big as ever and to nave
drawn the most intensive attention OF
the party, particularly since the last
croo shortage. and all consequential dill
ficulties became evident. From the mo-
ment Bucharin and less eminent leaders
advanced the theory OF much more
liberal policy toward the peasant, unoer
the belief that the village bourgeolse
may grow into Socialism naturally.
The authorities interviewed To-Day
were not inclined to conceal the cur
rent difficulties resulting largely from
the crop shortage. Big investments IN
industry were inadequate for the sup
ficulties became evident from the mo-
Commissar of Trade Mikoyan, who
recently returned from an extensive
trip across Siberia, in detailed report
of his Investigations. dwelt particularly
on the increasing demand OF the
peasantry for such appendages OF civil
ization as modern shirts, footwear, col
lars. shaving implements, lip rouge,
powder, silk and lingerie.
New Tastes Developed.
To draw from the rural districts ade-
ouate allotments of grain. the central
authorities last Summer shipped large
quantities of ordinary peasant apparei,
such as heavy boots, sheepskin coats
heavy fur caps and rough peasant shlrts
and materials for peasant women. a
large mart of this stock is lying in gov
eminent warehouses because 1t appears
that peasants have acquired, along with
learning the tenets Of Marxism and
Soyietism. new tastes by the same
propaganda methods.
Along with their developing taste for
good clothes, the peasants have deve!-
oped also a taste for good food. This
was said to account largely for the
urban population lacking eggs, butter
| and other rural commodities which have
been consumed largely by the producers.
The authorities declare that these
natural and temporary difficulties sure
| " will be solved by one good crop and
without the disturbances and unrest
| imagined by counter-revolutlonar
forces in and out of Russia. These.
| thev said. ever we're ready to see the
snecter of revolt in economic difncultles
and the resulting theoretical political
| debates