Western news and the Libby times. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1920-1933, 1931-02-19
WILL. TIE RUSSIAN EXPERIMENT
PROVE 4 Success

10 restrict their production Of wheat, because OF
the demoralzed wheat market tie SAID recently
that dollar wheat IS probably thing OF the past
This rather gloomy outlook for the bic wheat
farmer is to be blamed on competition by the
Russian soviet government. Legge says the Rus-
SLAMS will probably be able to supply the world
demand at price lower than the American
farmer can meet Legge is one OF the nation :
greatest business executives. He advises Aner-
can farmers to adopt new program Of crop pro-
ducton.
This gloomy outlook IS however, somewhat
discounted by a report recently issued by the
National City Bank of New York. That great
institution has made study of possible Russian
wheat competition and concludes that while
Russia may be able to produce relatively large
amount of wheat, the soviet domain does not
contain great enough area suitable to dlyersi-
fled farming to make it an uncomfortable com
petitor III all farm products. This great bank
does not consider the situation is unduly alarm
ing.
AT the same time, the government at Wash
ington is being asked to restrict the importation
{ Of Russian lumber and paper pulp into this
country. The contention is that Russian lnn-
be1 andapulp is produced BY convict labor or al
least by enforced labor. For that reason the
American industries, it is claimed cannot conf
pete with the Russian product.
Judging from the tone of the articles APP
pearing in the American press, it would appear
that the soviet threat has frightened a fairly
large number Of American industralsts. II
there is reason for concerI4 it must be that they
fear the Russian socialistic experiment may
prove successful If that experiment should
prove successful and if American industry and
that of other countries are unable to compete
with it. then it must logically follow that I'M
time industry the world over will be forced to
similar arrangements.
1t may be that the world is i'll the midst Of
roalignment Of social forces and systems, and
that the result will be the adoption III a greater
or less degree OF some form OF collectlvlsm.
America has developed mass production to Al
high state OF perfection. We are now teachlng
that system to foreign countries and also estab-
fishing American owned plants III many coun-
tries The result will be an adoption OF this same
system of mass production the world over What
will followa Can the world consume the enor-
NOUS quantities Of goods that will thus be pro
dnced Lit 1T can not, what VIII become OF the
men that can not find employment a lessened
number Of working hours will help solve the
dilemma but will that be Il permanent solution
of the difficulty? 1t is doubtful. Viewing this
possible development IN world industry causes
some to believe the ultimate solution will be, as
has been said, the adoption Of some form Of col
lectivism.
However we sincerely doubt that the Rus
sian experiment, III its present form, will prove
successful any extended period of time. The
men who are now directing affairs in that great
country are ideasts. Vhcy are thrilled with the
consuming passion Of great and absorbing
theory and that theory emissions the developing
Of great nation and lifting humanity up by a
social system in which they have nnbonndcd
faith. Their zeal is somewhat similar to that Of
the religious missionary who will sacrifice his
life to spread his faith among the heather. These
men may make a success Of their experiment,
but what will happen after their system has been
in operation for. say, 50 years or hundred
years, with all the great industrial plants built
and agriculture fully developed, and with new
generation in charge of affairs to whom all that
is an everyday, common affair? Then will be
danger of graft and corruption creeping in, and
when corruption creeps into so vast political
and social machine as the Russians are building
the mess will be awful
Furthermore the Russian government does
l.