Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-01-08
'Russio's New Palmer

In your December 81 edi-
torial, "Russia's New Palmer"
you wonder why Mikhail G.
Pervukhin is taking Maxim 2.
Saburov'S place as top eco
nomic planner.
The Christian Science Moni-
tor of the same day had an
article by Paul Wohl giving
some clues. Soviet party
bosses and top technocrats,"
ne says. have decided to re-
model the country's economy
in accordance with capitalist
efficiency methods" Mr.. Sa-
burov has been identified
with a more rigid attitude in
economic MANAGEMENT, adj
ministration and capital allo-
cation, while Mr.. Pervukhin
has shown himself more prac-
teal and flexible. In his speech
at the Goth party congress he
recommended that capital al
location should be made with
a view to the pay-off approach.
Up to 1854, this was supposed
to be a bourgeois deviation.
He also was the first to take
an active hand in the eco
nomic indignation of Eastern
Europe with the Soviet Union"
1t has been natural for us
TO pay more attention to the
moral and political aspects of
the recent satellite unrest than
to the economic, although the
latter is important both as
cause and effect. The eco
nomic costs of recent events
in Poland and Hungary have
been high. The Soviet Union
had expected both countries
to contribute to planned So
Wet growth between now and
1860. Instead both countries
have been turned into drains
on the Soviet economy. At
least for a time nothing can
be done to restore Hungary's
contribution to the Soviet bloc,
but there h9e been consider
able pressure on tie Poles to
maintain their assigned place
i'll The Communist economic
orbit.
This will not be easy. Up to
now pressure on Poland has
been resisted and it is at
tempting to be relatively Gin
dependent. Aside from the past
basis of economic relation with
the Soviet Union which was adj
mittedly unfair, the Poles have
felt aggrieved in their trade
with other Communist neigh
bors. Tribuna Ludu. leading
organ of the Polish United
Workers (Communist) Party,
complained, for example. that
the country was obliged to
export raw materials, char
acteristic of economically
backward countries" and to
import principally capital in
vestment goods. and that
Czechoslovakia acted as a
middleman for Poland, de-
priving her of foreign markets.
This highlights the impor-
lance OF Secretary Dulles
statement at his December l8
news conference, referring to
United States willingness to
give assistance to Poland
which would assist its grow
ing independence" Rivals are
waiting in the wings to take
over in Poland should Co.
mulka fail to solve the eco
nomic crisis. This crisis is in
part the result of errors in
Mr.. Saburov's rigid approach
and may explain his replace
ment by one who is more
flexible.
1t would be a mistake, how
ever, to conclude that Soviet
economic planners are becom-
ing more mature and flexible
in their economics, because of
this straw, and a few others
for example. the urging by
Izvestia. the leading govern
ment newspaper, that it was
the duty of local Soviets ito
promote the most extensive
development of private home
building If Mr.. Pervukhin is
too flexible he may meet re-
sistance among his fellows.
who have shown themselves to
be shrewd manipulators in the
political field but overly han
dicapped by party dogma in
economic matters.
Sidney KOretz.