Evening star., 1933-01-19
Russian Reviews Indicate Lack
of Contentment Among People

Reports from the abbreviated five
year plan in Russia, supplemented by
statement from Stain, Soviet chief, are
interpreted in this country as evidence
that while an industrial machine of
some strength has been built, it has
been at the expense of the comfort and
freedom OF the people. and it has fallen
short OF the goal. This Is the verdict,
OF war requirements in the Far East
and failure to get cooperation from
other nations. Concessions to capital
ism also are observed in whatever has
been achieved.
Importance Is given by the New York
Times to the statement from Stain,
showing that lin three basic commodi-
ties the Soviet authorities now expect
to show at the end of 1888 results con-
siderably below those that should have
been attained at the end of 1882" The
Times adds: If the f1ve-year plan were
this year, then the year 1882 would
have seen 100000 tons of pig iron
produced. That figure is now fixed for
1888. OF coal there should have been
80, ,000, 900 tons produced in 1882. The
figure set for 1888 is now $4,000. 900
tons. OF electric power there should
have been 1900, ,000,00 kilowatt hours
In 1892 The quota now fixed for 1888
Is something over 10000, 10000 kilo-
wat hours. The actual history Of
the famous plan is that it started out
to be a five-year plan. to be completed
by October l, 1888. It was shortened
into four-year plan, to be completed
by October 1, 1882. It was. prolonged
by three months by making the Soviet
fiscal year correspond with the CAL
endar year, and so terminating De-
cember 81. 1882. 1t is now prolonged
to a f1ve-and-a-quarter-year plan by
being made terminable December 81,
1888: and after that we shall see"
THE Russian government is contin-
uing its policy Of making capitalistic
concessions to its people as a matter of
expediency," says the Lincoln State
Journal. which, while recognizing
astounding changes in Russia" OBJ
serves that "they have had to back
track in several notable instances in
order to overcom, economic problems"
The policies adopted are held by the
State Journal to demonstrate the
weakness Of the communistic system"
and of these the Lincoln paper declares:
The new policy toward the agricul-
tural class, the peasants, Is really an
OiO OAIc. OuOcI IIlc pIOpOScQ SySLcul,
which was in effect 10 years ago, peas
ants will be assessed a definite grain
tax in advance Of sowing. This gives
the peasant assurance that his produc-
ton beyond the amount fixed will be
his. Under the system which has failed
to produce the food needed by the peo-
pie of the republic peasants were levied
upon for grain deliveries, the amount
Of which was based upon possibilities.
The peasant, under this system, never
knew beforehand what was expected Of
him and cut down his production in
protest against the system. In order to
counteract the shortage the government
has had to return to a more or less
capitalistic system by which the pro-
ducer has an incentive for producing
his full crop. Under this system the
more he produces the more he gets"
"The plan may be said to have put
the machine before the man." accord
ing to the San Francisco Chronicle,
which presents the estimate Of results:
Russia has made an impressive install
lation of iron and steel, electric and
chemical plants, Of factories to make
automobiles, tractors and other ma
chimes. Statistically. Russia has jumped
in five years into the front rank Of
heavy industry nations. The figures
on produdbon Of coal, iron, oil. elec-