The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1931-05-02
AN AMERICAN ENGINEER
LOOKS AT THE FIVE-YEAR PLAN

and that they would regain their
former positions after the overthrow.
They felt that passive resistance or
active interference could endanger
and might defeat the Five Year
Plan. The government officials,
trusting these men and their advice
and, moreover, lacking any technical
knowledge, found it difficult to I'M
cover and Illustrate the insidious
schemes of these marplots.
Judging from personal experience,
I am entirely satisfied that much de-
liberate wrecking has been going on.
In retrospect I can better understand
and evaluate certain occurrences
which at the time seemed unfathom-
able and peculiar. Stupid delays for
which there seemed no excuse, I'M
explainable, expensive and belated
changes in projects, extravagant
rules, silly regulations and many
other similar happenings, we're straws
indicating whence the wind was
blowing
The Soviet Government, aware of
this inherent weakness of the tech
meal position of its industries. en-
braced some four years ago the pol
icy of engaging foreign technical as
sistance. Foreign engineers have no
axe to grind, and the Soviet Govern
ment knows---or should know-that
they are not interested in politics.
True to the ideals and ethical stand
ards of their profession, they will
work Loyalty to create and rear engi-
neering works 81
The bad mistakes and serious blum
ders made are not, however, soleup
due to deliberate wrecking. Many
are the result of ignorance ,irrespon-
sibility and the lack of training and
experience. Conservatism and be-
lief that new-fangled ideas are wrong
are also to blame. Although the So
Wet government firmly believes that
the industries Of their country must
be developed along American lines,
and although the superiority of
American machinery and equipment
is acknowledged, 1t sometimes taxes
ones patience to induce some Rus
sian engineers, foremen and workers
to adopt American methods and de-
vices to speed up and cheaper con-
struction.
5-Year Plan Will Succeed.
I have been asked frequently
whether the Soviet government will
succeed in carrying out the Five
Year Plan. While this may be any
body's guess, believe that with the
progress heretofore made, the Five
Year Plan will in general be fulfilled.
Circumstances may cause individual
industries to fall behind, but other
measures also embraced in the Five
Year Plan will be carried out with a
considerable margin.
The Five Year Plan is an economic
measure, but in course of time it has
acquired certain political signifi-
canoe. This political aspect is given
undeserved Importance by the out
side world. 1t is widely believed that
the failure to complete the Five Year
Plan in the allotted time will mean
defeat for the Soviet government.
Such ideas have no basis in fact. I
believe that should the pressure be-
come too great and lack Of capital
and credits too serious, the program
will merely be slowed up and the
time extended. I further believe that
If the gigantic Five Year Plan were
only 75-per cent completed by the
end of 1888, a remarkable technical
and managerial feat, unparalleled in
the worlds history, will have been
achieved.