The Washington times., 1931-10-12

Raymond p. Brandt istic Russi a
hopes to accomplish by a planned
economy dictated by a determined
minority.
Machines-big, costly, compli-
Gated machines-are relied upon
to change Russia from a back
ward, primitive, agricultural group
Of races. dependent before the
war on the outside world for ordi-
nary comforts, into a nicely bal
anced, self-sustaining industrial
nation. with the cultural level of
the whole people equal if not SUI
perior to that of the rest of the
world.
The forced transition of Russia
from an agricultural to an indus
trial nation is also bringing about
changes in the political and eco
nomic PHILOSOPHERS of the Com
munist party, which through JO-
Seph Stain. the Secretary-general,
rules the 160,0O0,O00 Russians
with an iron hand.
Varied Views of Russian Plan
The writer on this. his third,
visit to Russia journeyed 5000
miles through the Soviet Union
seeking information on two main
points: What changes. good or
bad, are the Russian leaders ef
fecting by socialist economy, and
how successful have they been in
carrying out the communiStic
ideas and ideals of their teachers
Marx and Lenin? The findings
of this personal investigation will
be told in a series of articles in
The washington Times.
Before going to Russia this
year the writer encountered four
views about the Russian expert
ment. First. that consumlnatioE
OF the five-year plan and its sue
ceSSorS would make the country a
vast market in which the rest
Of the world could share, and
that development of the country
by planned economy would create
and distribute wealth, thereby
raising the living standards of
Russians who would increasingly
demand greater comforts and lux
uries. This is the view taken
by Col. Hugh L. Cooper, builder
of the Keokuk and Wilson dams
and now president of the Rus
Sian-American Chamber of Com
merce.
The second view was that Rus
sia, through planned economy
and forced labor, would develop
into an economic and military
menace" constantly working
for world revolution. According
to this view other countries
should have nothing to do with
Russia or should try actively to
hinder Russian progress.
Prediction Of Failure
The third view, often ex-
pressed by persons who know the
least about the experiment. was
that the five-year plan and sue
ceedirg plans, for some unex-
planned reason. could not succeed
and that it would be a waste Of
time to discuss the destiny of
the 160,0O0,0OO Russian people.
The fourth view, held by en-
thusiaStic Communists, misin-
formed as the third group, was
that Russia was an earthly
paradise,V with no unemploy.
ment, plenty of food and COM
plete equality of wealth and op-
portunity.
The last two views can be
eliminated. The present regime
with notifications will continue
for a long time. barring world
war The leaders. like politicians
the world over, will be forced tc
modify their policies but they
will compromise to remain in
office. The earthly paradise"
is three or four generations away
If it is over the horizon at all.
Cannot Be Dismissed
The first two views cannot be
50 summarily dismissed. There
is abundant evidence to support
each. The most that can be
said at this time Is that the
actions and the unofficial words
Of the present leaders are to the
effect thai Russia Is being grad
ually forced toward the Right