Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-05-07

stincts and resorting 10 those sAnne
practices in which the old economies
Is rooted. That the Soviet lead
erS are compromising with so much
that they denounced q ASsuredly not
to their diScredit. What they lose in
valor they gain in discretion: their IN
consistency proves their wisdom. Able
men they undoubtedly are, and the
world still must reckon with them, re-
CARELESS Of shifts in their philosophy
or changes in their fve-year plan"
Observing that Russia Is hardly more
of an industrial state than two centuries
ago." the Topeka Daily Capital points
to the effect Of the present change with
the statement: Soviet Russia climbs
down from Communism sufficiently to
borrow the capitalistic idea Of piecework
in her industries. In many directions
the five-year plan has fallen behind
schedule, while ahead in others. But
railroads, mining and many factories
have failed to maintain the pace. Here
after, to speed up the program, Com
muniStic wages will go by the board.
The new plan seems to be general A
fixed schedule must be met If any
industry or plant falls behind. then
wages will be reduced accordingly. On
the other hand, If the schedule Is ex-
ceeded, the workers will receive bonuses.
The Communist government, however,
has frequently demonstrated that 1t
cares less for names and forms than
through the program Of industrial con-
struction and will borrow eapitalistic
methods when necessary"
~
Commenting on the Soviet activities
IN other lines, particularly the eliminate
ing of the kulaks, who have been dis
possessed of their small properties, the
Buffalo Evening News declares: The
process of reducing the membership Of
the party in power. which is repeated
about once a year, is again under way.
The published figures, though they may
be subject to variation as the work pro-
crosses, say that no less than l,273,000
Communists have been listed for ex-
pulSion from the party, but the number
actually dropped had reached somewhat
less than 100000. To any person hold
ing the opinion that government should
rest on the viii of the people, as ex-
pressed by their votes, political party
which closely restricts its membership
and frequently reviSeS and reduces the
number of its adherents Is inconceiv-
able. ANY discussion Of the Soviet
regime as the work of the Russian peo-
pie and representative of their will is
absurd II the fact Is recognized that
the ruling group maintains this close
limitation of its numbers. APP
associated with the reStric-
ton of the privileged few who may rank
as Communists is a new drive for the
elimination OF kulaks. According to the
onicial estimates, there still are some
900 900 kulaks in the Russian pOpu-
lation. That, by the way, would make
them several times more numerous than
the Communists, whom the outside
world is expected to look upon as con-
shutting the people, The estimate
probably means only that the Official
definition of 'kulaks' has been extended
to include some 5000, 900 more OF those
peasants who still cling to their petty
homes and maintain on little
plots Of land the wretched horse and
cow necessary to peasant life. This has
been the status of most OF the rural
population of Russia"
While the admission OF q shipment
Of Russian lumber to the United States
is viewed with curiosity by the press
the Portland Oregon journal
makes the protest: Meantime, in the
lumber workers are not employed
Lumber mill after lumber mill Is closet
down. Those lumber mills and lumba
are not making purchaser
That means that other American in
iuStrieS and businesses are not sellina (
IS much as could be sold II the lumbe1
were operating at even some
hing like normal capacity. That mean
that the Eastern interests that ara
the Russian lumber ara
ioing so at the expense Of American
industry and business IN spite of q
serious depression. We hear q great
Zeal in this country about patriotism.
There might be such thing as some
emblance Of 1t. sometimes. in business,
at q time when millions OF
men are out of work and when firms
throughout the country are urgently N !
iced of business"