Evening star., 1932-09-08
SOVIET INDUSTRIES
BEHIND SCHEDULE
FuIfiIIment of Ambitious Goals
Unlikely, but Gains
Made.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
MOSCOW, September 8.-Soviet Rus
sia's ambitious industrial program for
1882 probably will not be fulfilled If
production figures for heavy industry
in the first seven months are indicative
of the final results, but the government
doubtless will finish the year with a
substantial increase over 1881.
Official statistics just released show
all phases of this basic branch of the
public economy, inclucing coal, pig iron
and machine building, running behind
the plan for the year, but without eX
ception forging well ahead of their last
years records.
Although the program OF heavy In
duStrial production calls for an increase
of IS per cent over that Of 1881, the
monthly average increase for the seven
months has been only 28.7 per cent. and
it is notable that the greatest gains
were made in the first three months,
with a steady decline since then, with
the exception of July.
Success Doubtful.
In all, only 80 per cent of the plan
for the first six months was accom-
plished in heavy industry.
1t Is possible that the final half of
IAlC yOal. MAJ Nd tAlC OAld VI
four-year period designated for COM
pletion Of the original ive-year plan,
will furnish sufficient excess produc-
tion to overcome the deficiency, but
this will be difficult if the Disappointing
showing continues in coal, pig iron and
transportation.
A failure to attain the goals set in
the plan, however. would not be re-
garded here as so much of failure as
long as the 1881 records were surpassed.
Soviet officials naturally would be dis
appointed in such an event, but they
will be satisfied with less if they can
show definite progress.
The progress of pig iron and coal
production has been 6iSconcertingly
slow, despite the addition of nine new
blast furnaces during the seven months
and the rapidly increasing mechanical
ton of coal mines. Inadequate trans
portation facilities and an insufficient
supply of native technical skill share a
major portion of the blame In both
industries, while the coal mines also
have suffered in recent months from
wholesale Cesertions of labor seeking
better living conditions and higher
wages.
Highest in January.
Against goal of 100000 tons for
the year, the best record for pig iron
production was a daily average of IT,
900 tons in January. After the addi-
tion of the nine new furnaces the July
average was only 5000 tons. In the
seven months only 1873 per cent of the
plan for that period had been fulfilled,
although this represented a gain of %
per cent compared with the similar
period in 1881.
Coal production is causing the gov
ernment even more concern. From a
daily average of 198,l68 tons in Janu-
ary it dropped steadily to 1850 in
July, due chiefly to the enormous labor
turnover, against which all the efforts
OF government and Communist party
SO far have been unavailing The plan
for the seven months period was ac-
complished only by 806 per cent, or a
gain of 24,3 per cent over the same
period last year.
Heavy machine construction returned
a much better record, fulfilling 90.1 per
cent of its seven months plan for a
total gain over the like period of last
year of Ais per cent A gain of 200
per cent over the first seven months
last year was claimed for automobile
oiN u oSSOA PAOOhOlIOAAs "AiASAl lAdS OCCIl
experiencing difficulties of late because
of insufficient materials.
Output Of electric energy for the
seven months exceeded that of the
same period last year by Alt per cent.
Oil Industry Behind.
The oil industry, which fulfilled the
original fiveyear plan to two and q
half years, has accomplished only 1872
per cent of its seven months plan for
a gain Of 6.8 per cent over the same
1881 period.
Figures on timber production, which
for the first time this year functions
under separate commisSariat, and for
light industry, which covers produc-
ton Of clothing and other articles for
domestic consumption, are not included
in the general averages for heavy
industry.