The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1930-04-18
COLLECTIVE FARMS
DRAW MANY PEAS
ANTS TO SHELTER
By EUGENE LYONS

IL
rush of millions of peasants tor
economic shelter in the collective
farms is gaining new impetus ev-
cry day.
Almost before the ink is dry on
one set of published estimates of
the movement, officials are oblig-
ed to issue enlarged estimates.
The 100000 peasant households
formed into collectives by Febru-
airy l, had grown to $4,000, OOO-
about 40 per cent of all farms in
the Soviet Union-by the end of
the month, according to official
figures.
The loud and furious campaign
abroad on the issue of religion in
the land of Soviets has obscured
from the world this collectiviza-
ton movement, which is by far
more basic and more significant.
indeed, 1t is no exaggeration to
say that the present peasant surge
towards collective farming is the
most vital single event So far in
the history of the Russian revolu-
ton. q,
Coincident with precipitate mer-
glng of small private farms into
large socialized estates, tens of
thousands of the "class enemies"
In the Soviet villages, the social
ed Kulaks or better-to-do peas
ants, are being stripped of all
their possessions and driven from
their homes.
An asylum and POSSIBLY employ
ment awaits these exiles in less
populated distant portions of the
Union. The Soviet government is
taking measures to facilitate
transportation of kulaks and 9TH
er undesirables" to lumber, min
ing and other industrial enter
prises in Siberia and the Far
North. Meanwhile many of them
are beginning to show up in the
larger cities, some as beggars.
In some instances the local au-
thorities are permitting the ex-
propriated kulaks to remain in
their own villages and to engage
in local industrial work or to hire
out as farmhands. In fact, aside
from the order to '1iquidate the
kulaks as a Glass;" no unified poll
cy towards them seems to have
emerged as yet, and various re-
gions are dealing with the prob
lem in their own way.
From the Soviet press itself as
well as from reports reaching the
capital, it is clear that the kulaks
are offering sharp resistance ev-
erywhere, a resistance which of
ten takes violent form. On the
part of poorer peasants who en-
ter collectives unwillingly, resist
ance is usually of a passive econ
omlc nature. In particular mil
lions of head of cattle and horses
have been slaughtered by peas
ants who did not wish to contri-
butte their livestock to the collec-
tive.
The process of merging small
farms into large communes has
reached its maximum strength
just before the spring paintings
begin. The extent to which the
land is planted will therefore
serve as a sort of test of the eff
ficiency of the collective idea.
The official plans call for a 20
per cent expansion of the acreage
under wheat, and an IL per cent
increase of the general acreage.
The major portion of this expect
ed Increase must be provided by
the newly organized collectives. 1t
remains to be seen whether they
can do so.
Certainly the government is con-
centrating all its strength to make
the paintings successful. Practi-
cally all agronomists, veterinari-
ans and other farm experts, as
well as the students in the higher
agricultural schools have been
modified to assist in the spring
sowing campaign. They will re-
main in the villages to which they
are sent, working on the collec-
tive as we'll as private farms until
at least May 1. Others have been
modified to put all tractors and
farm machinery generally into
working order. Harsh disciplinary
action is being taken, and even
harsher threatened. against local
officials who fail fully to cooper
ate in the sowing campaign.
To stimulate productivity on the
newly formed collectives, the gov
eminent has ordered the institu-
ton of a piece-work system. Any
peasants who expected to share in
the proceeds of the collectives re-
CARELESS whether they worked
hard or not will be disappointed.
There is as yet no intention of
communistic living or profit-shar-
ing on the collectives. Every peas
ant will in reality be an employee
of the State-owned farm, just as
factory workers are employees of
! State-owned industry.