The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1933-01-07
Foreign Representatives,
SMALL, SPENCER. BREWER
Uncorporated)
,H1CAGO NEW YORK BOSTON
Russia vs.. America

There Is something in the nature OF
La warning to the capitalist world In
hhe recent announcement that Russia
mas started on her second five-year
t0lan.
The first five years, to be sure,
tailed TO produce the results which
we're expected, but there is no deny
yng the fact that the Soviet has made
phenomenal progress as compared
with the rest OF the world.
The figures which show she has ad-
Fanced from sixth to third place in
Goal production; from sixth to second
IN pig iron: from fourth TO second IN
machine building. and from eighth to
third in electrical energy are some
ching to reckon with.
They are open to more than one
Interpretation, OF course. II the
wheels OF industry in all other nations
had not slowed down 50 much in the
last three years it is improbable that
the Russian showing would be quite
so impressive. The fact Is inescap-
table, however. that the Russian sys-
tenn has kept the Soviet peoples at
work while that employed here and in
most other countries has permitted
idleneSs to become a curse upon the
land. There is no gansaying that In
this one respect the Russian idea Is
: superior to our own.
On the other hand. we have the
spectacle OF people going hungry IN
nation with greater agricultural
possibilities than any other. Farmed
with American intelligence. industry
and equipment, Russia could provide
food for nearly all Of Europe It is
doubtful, however. that surplus in
Russia would have quite the same
tragic results as in this country. They
are simpler than we and. therefore,
ull6uN NC ChECIWu W lldhC
direct approach to such problem.
There is no gainsaying the tremen-
dous defects Of the Russian plan as
compared with our own. They are so
vital and so obvious that one cannot
imagine Sovietism being established in
this country except under tremendous
pressure. And right there lies the
rub. With millions OF men idle in this
country. the news that there is no un-
employment in Russia will raise
sharp question IN many minds. Why
cannot We manage our own affairs as
veil as they do theirs In this respect?
Millions are cold, ill-clothed and
hungry in Russia, but so are other
millions in America. The Russians
have them because they have been
unable to produce the goods necessary
TO relieve the situation. We have
such conditions because we are too
able to produce goods To relieve them.
OF the two faults ours is unquestion-
ably the greater. 1t looks very much
as though we can take care OF every
ones need but will not.
No sane adherent OF the capitalistic
system would want to trade our own
basic ideas for those of Russia, where
q dictatorship which the Khans OF old
might envy has been established.
Americans would rather go cold and
hungry than submit to such condi-
tions. But there is no reason why they
should. Our duty Is to make our own
plan work so much better than that
OF the Soviets that there can be no
comparison.
The simple truth is we haven't done
At and that revisions in our system
are necessary to make 1t perform
properly. Those who support the
.capitalistic system most strongly
should lead the way. II for no other
reason. in a spirit Of self preservation.