Evening star., 1934-03-11
Il. s. FARM POLICY LEANS
TOWARD RUSSIAN IDEAS
Assistant Secretary Tugwelrs Books
Declared to Reveal Preference for
Soviet System of |'Planning.''

Russian Agriculture" seems to ex-
p;ess qualified preference for the
Russian system of farming. both on
economic and social grounds:
THE question whether the charac-
teriStic American farmstead system
lends itself to greater efficiency than
the Russian village system is not cas-
lily settled. 1t is, however. almost
purely an academic one; at least for
the present. Russia is a nation OF
villages and this fact is basic one.
After seeing the village system in op-
Grafton one cannot be sure that it does
not possess the weight OF advantage.
There are no fences, no strictly de-
limited fields. tractor can go as far
and as fast as it is capable OF doing
without the bother of fence-corner
turnings. Socially. the village has
great advantages if it is not too closely
built or too big. Cooperation is forced
in the nature of things. Russia was
communal in this sense long before it
was persuaded to Communism in the
Mar,ian sense The resistance OF
American farmers to the admitted
gains to be got through co-operatlon
NAV be result of homestead organ
izat'on."
And elsewhere Dr. Tuqwell writes:
1T is certain that any student of
contemporary economic conditions
can gain much from close study OF
the Soviet system. and especially
Americans whose problems are in
MANY ways similar-though at present
on a different level-to those OF Rus
sian folk"
An Extraordinary Condition.
1t is impossible to read these pas
sages, or Prof. Tugwell's output OF
books and addresses as whole. with
out concluding that he earnestly be-
lieves in carrying America toward the
Russian system, not all the way at
one step. but gradually. according to
the technique by which peace-time
revolutions are accomplished. He is,
as Assistant Secretary of Agriculture,
in one of those key places which he
describes as strategic positions" To
use another OF his phrases. he is in
position to bring about gradual sub
stitution." 1t is an extraordinary con-
dition Very few realize it.
Prof. Tugwell is the Assistant Sec
retary of Agriculture. His chief. the
Secretary. is Henry A. Wallace. This
relation is modified. however by the
fact that the assistant. DR.. Tugwell,
has direct and frequent access to
President Roosevelt
That DR.. Tugwell is a thorough
going radical, a convinced believer in
many fundamental features of the
Russian system. no one can doubt.
Friends of Mr.. Wallace. however, in
sist that he is not a radical and not
believer in the Russian system.
Mr. Wallace's intimates say he is no
bolshevik. no collectivist. no revolu-
zionist. They say that fundamentally
he believes in the American system
and that he can only be called radical
in the sense that he believes some
thing drastic must be done to elevate
the farmer in the economic scale.
Mr.. Wallace in personal contacts
makes an impression of exceptional
candor and integrity Of mind; he
seems incapable of dissimulation. He
is emotional, at times evangelical in
his fervor. He makes likewise the
impression of quite high ability along
certain lines.
If Secretary Wallace does not be-
lieve in the Russian system. how is it
then that American agriculture under
Mr.. Wallace's leadership, is going in
the Russian direction?
One Explanation.
In think the explanation lies in
fallacy of thinking into which Mr..
Wallace has fallen Mr. Wallace says,
in effect. I believe in a planned So
clety. but I do not believe in col,ectiv-
ism" The fallacy lies in supposing
there is difference between a
planned society and collectivism
Mr.. Wallace's attitude is like saying,
Il believe in colleges, but not in edu-
cation" or Il believe in God. but not
in religion; or Il believe in the devil,
but not in satan
Planned society" is what is being
pressed down upon us at Washington.
and planned society is the same
thing as collectivism.
For asserting the identity of plan
ned society" with collectivism, have
good authority. Throughout the
American and British world a consid-
cradle number of economists have
thought through to the bottom of this
whole complex subject. The existing
conflict between individualism the
American system) and collectivism
(the Russian system) is very complex,
indeed, and only comparatively few
have the ability or patience to under
stand it.
Coles Studies.
One is G. D. H. Cole, teacher of
economics in the University of Ok
ford. He puts the gist of what have
been trying to say in a passage which
every thoughtful American should
grasp and keep in mind. Mr. Cole.
himself radical, uses the rather tainted
term capitalism 1 prefer to call it
American individualism" Otherwise
as infallible as that two plus two
makes four:
National economic planning in any
real sense involves a strongly organ
lied control over almost every as
pect of the economic life, and above
all over production. over the distri-
button Of purchasing power in all its
forms and over the fixing of prices.
II is clearly impossible for any plan
ming of this order to co-exist with
capitalism"
That is truth. Neither Secretary
Wallace nor any of the rest of us can
escape it. Mr.. Wallace is trying to
escape it in words, but he cannot es-
cape it in fact
In Washington the administration,
including Mr.. Wallace, is bringing
about national economic planning"
They have begun the process. The
process, unless interrupted, must 60 on
to collectivism, ultimately of the Rus
sian type, though We may have brief
interval of Fascism of the Italian
type.
(Copyrisht. 1934)