Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-15
The Story the Week Has Told

Germany least to point to us and say,
I told you So.'
The speech was an almost inconceiv-
ably difficult task, with German sentis
ment to be conciliated, offense to the
French to be avoided. To be sure the
reference to reparations was a little
awkward. But one Is not surprised that
OH its conclusion Chancellor Bruening
arose and shook DR.. Curtius warmly by
the hand.
And now it seems the Fascist dele
gates have gone to their several dis
trictS to agitate for a national initiative
and referendum demanding dissolution
Of the Reichstag on the ground that it
has become a dictatorship. Perhaps
some effect from the Fascist behavior
may be seen in the adoption, by what
the Fascists and Nationalist are pleased
to denominate the Rump Reichstag, Of
resolution asserting the necessity Of
early revision of Germany's reparations
obligations. Another resolution was
passed calling for an impartial inter-
Of the World War.
RUSSIA.-The Soviet government Is
finding the chief difficulty in the way
of realization of the five-year plan, on
the industrial side, to be an insufi-
cheney Of technical specialists. We are
told that it estimates the need Of some
$4,000 more foreign skilled men II the
construction scheduled for 1881 is to
be achieved.
There are now over 1000 foreign spe-
cialistS employed under individual con-
tracts with the Soviet Union, not to
mention about 1000 employees Of 1874
foreign companies which have tech
nical aid" contracts with the govern
ment
The efforts to develop native talent
have not proved too successful. The
intensive" methods have proved too
intensive. Technical schools have been
trying to do the work of three years
in six months, the students fconse-
quently working day and night. Result
the majority have broken down I'M
der the strain and the classes have
been terribly depleted.
OF the $4,000, 5000 should be en-
gineers, 5000 foremen and 1000 skilled
workers" Europe Is expected to fur
nish about $500 engineers, the same
number of foremen and about 5000
skilled workmen; the United States the
rest. The unemployment situations In
Europe and the United States are IA
vorable to the prospect OF getting the
men.
Foreigners, I understand, get part Of
their salaries in the currencies OF their
respective countries, part In rubles. and
the government tries, with whatever
awkwardness, to make their living con-
ditions tolerable. Shops are provided
where they, and they only, may pur-
chase food and other neceSSarieS or de-
sirables at lower prices than in the
open market
OF course. efforts Of one sort or an
other are made to incline these for
eigners to the doctrines Of Lenin. Few
Americans are persuaded, but, It's said,
many Germans are.
Joseph v. Aatalin, head Of the Central
Committee of the Communist Party, and
Viacheslaf Molotoff, chairman Of the
Council of Peoples Comnissars OF the
Soviet Union, have issued an appeal for
speeding UP of the collective farm pro-
gram this Spring. They would hasten
"collectivization Of the poor middle-class
peasants and liquidation Of the Kulaks
as a class" There is a grand drive
afoot for expanding cotton culture. 1t
is hoped this year to produce about
$4,000 bales from the 100000 or so
acres under cotton cultivation.
The CONVENIENT Of the Union OF
Socialist Soviet Republics has accepted
the invitation to eend representatives TO