Russia's Industrial Progress-The First Three Years
LEWIS, ALFRED BAKER
THE NEW LEADER FORM Russia's Industrial Progress— The First Three Years By Alfred Baker Lewis SUFFICIENT figures for 1931 are now available on Soviet Russia'a planned economy to...
...She started under the Communist regime with an overwhelmingly Illiterate population, with a good part of her educated classes hostile to the government and its Intentions, with comparatively little industry anyhow and with what Industry she had disrupted by war and civil war...
...1929, 32.7...
...So there we have Socialism— service at cost, any deficit made good by taxation, any surplus used to relieve taxation...
...they are very good...
...Now as to Communism...
...Superphosphates are an important fertilizer, especially necessary for Russia's particularly acidic soil...
...The Socialism and Communism with which it Is shot is so common that nobody notices it or thinks about it and I will cite a couple of Instances by which one may easily distinguish and comprehend the difference...
...Cotton Cloth in millions of metres: 1926, 2030...
...Thinking back to the South African racket, the Indian racket, the Irish racket and the racket to smash the Russian revolution, we see the vicious, arrogant figure of Churchill associated with them all, In brief, his whole Ufa has been spent in the service of the world's greatest racket —British Imperialism...
...in 1920, 7.6...
...She bad to fight a civil war complicated by the invasion of numerous White Russian armies financed in part by other countries such as Koltchak, Deniken, Judenitch, Petlura, and Semenov...
...planned, 1931, 8,000...
...She was practically blockaded for several years...
...planned, 1931, 2835...
...Are we again to see the amazing spectacle of long speeches solving all of Russia's problems while* our own are permitted to engulf us...
...See the point, brother Socialist and brother Communist...
...1930, 2420...
...The state cotton farms have taken the lead in this increase...
...Superphosphates In thousands of metric tons: 1913, 55.0...
...Freight Truffle in Big Rise Oil in thousands of metric tons: 1913, 9234.9...
...2470...
...It is a mixture of capitalism, Socialism, and entirely Communism, capitalism predominating...
...1922, 4,590.9...
...Copper in metric tons: 1913, 29,000...
...In fulfilling our duty, let ua not forget that during the denial of democratic parliamentary-political action In Soviet Russia, it was the Soviet Government that nationalized or socialized (?) Industry and the production thereof...
...1925, 2274...
...1930, 46,034...
...I don't think so...
...On April 9, in celebration of their third anniversary, the New History Society will give a "Peace Ball" in the ballroom of Essex House, 160 Central Park South, at 9 P. M. This Ball Is open to the general public at an admission charge of fl per person...
...communlzlng bread and socializing clothing...
...May I try to make it clear...
...A 20 per cent gain In the average output of Industry In a single year, though less than what the Russians had confidently expected, is practically unheard of as an achievement for any capitalist country...
...They are both good...
...actual, 1931,250...
...The output of tractors and automobiles, which were scarcely produced at all In pre-war Ruasia, was for tractors in 1930 13,100 units and for 1931 41,280...
...1928, 131.8...
...1929, 187.7...
...If you sling mud at me, you are bad and if I sling it back I am as bad as you...
...actual...
...To bury our heads, in the sand, is to retard it...
...Your fighting and mud-slinging is childish and humiliating, contemptible to all thinking men...
...planned, 1931, 330...
...Agricultural Area Sown in millions of hectares: 1913, 114.2...
...The argument got heated until it got so hot that they started fighting and rolled on the ground punishing each other...
...The certainty of making a tremendous success of Socialism in this country in view of the ability of Russia to increase her productivity by Socialist organization of Industry cannot therefore weU be denied...
...This is a fairer test of economy llian the results, as In large part' the results are determined by differences In rainfall or other climatic conditions over which the government can have no control...
...In the United States a Socialist government would start with a literate population which Russia lacked, with amply trained executives and technical experts which Russia lacked, with ample capital equipment which Russia lacked, and without the war time dislocation of Industry and the Invasion of our sou by foreign enemies from which Russia suffered...
...Final Peace Lecture This Sunday by O. G. Villard The New History Society will close Its lecture season tomorrow (Sunday) evening with a lecture by Os\*ald Garrison Villard, editor of The Nation, in the ballroom of the Park Lane Hotel at 8:30 promptly...
...So let's got Brooklyn, N. Y. The New Leader no more plays the "ostrich" on this question than it does on trade unionism, political policy, war, or any other question...
...The reason Is that the Russians are making every effort to build up their industrial equipment...
...It Is too bad our good comrade, McAlister Coleman, did not have time to so Into the aoul Umian'a history ***** antecedent* and devote a column or at least a paragraph to thla apoaUe of imperialism...
...Guests are requested to wear the "Green International Peace Shirt," outward symbol of pacifism and "world patriotism" introduced this season by the New History Society...
...There are differences of opinion in the party on all these matters and members representing different opinions desire to present them...
...for that year was 75...
...He hadn't seen "even one racketeer in this country...
...1928...
...1924, 660.5...
...The figures are worth giving in some detail...
...That rabbit la going to be baked, for I hate stewed rabbit...
...Our Post Office is a Socialist institution in that its object Is to give us service at cost...
...Gee," said one, "but I'm hungry, and in five, minutes I'll have that rabitt stewing in a pot, and ole boy, won't I have a feed...
...This is so even though 1931 showed a gain on an average less than one-half the gain over 1930 that the revised control figures for the five year plan had laid out as the aim to be achieved...
...It was the Soviet Government that nationalised or socialised (?) all land and, to a great extent, the product thereof...
...Is the national convention to be conducted on this basis...
...That we should have a strong American Socialist movement or thai a small group maintain the correct attitude toward our allegedly ruthless comrades in Russia...
...She suffered a terrible famine due to climatic conditions for which her government could have no responsibility...
...I think so...
...She then went through a civil war brought on by the utter breakdown of capitalist industry...
...Of course the largest effort has been made to Increase electrical power output and production of machinery, and the Increases over pre-war figures are greatest In these lines...
...Therefore, it Is the duty of all Socialists to facilitate the success of Socialism in Soviet Russia and not the failure thereof...
...SOCIALISM AND COMMUNISM By William Blenko There were two men who went looking for a dinner...
...1928, 5165...
...It was the Soviet Government that elevated labor to the aristocracy and demoted the idlers and wasters to the post of shame and discredit...
...Perhaps he was solicitous respecting the state of American public opinion about India...
...The rabbit, who had been watching their approach and getting ready for a swift getaway, seeing the men fighting on the ground, relaxed his muscles, smiled a knowing smile, raised his right "hand" to his face, put his thumb on his nose, twiddled his fingers and walked leisurely away...
...You, brother Socialist, surely would not object to a free ration of bread to all that might need it...
...It was the Soviet Government that has Introduced many other innovations that go to make the life of labor happier and longer...
...Comrades Morris, Norman and Jim, fill your fountain pens and get busy, as there Is lots to be said on the Russian question that has been left unsaid by the Socialist Party and The New Leader...
...1928, 115.7...
...Our public roads are a fine example of absolute Communism...
...1931, 77...
...11,637...
...It does seem that some sense of proportion could have been in force...
...Her success proves beyond question the practicability of Socialist non-profit methods of organizing industry...
...The effort to make Russia selfsuflicing is seen in the figures for the area planted to cotton of which Russia used to import a great deal...
...The New Leader provides a forum for the discussion...
...Let us all stop the silly, childish habit and be men...
...This is the best sort of propaganda (realistic and not promissory) and should not be neglected...
...1931, 331...
...1930, 238...
...1925, 106.3...
...of J. P. Morgan on his return from Europe, we have a departing guest, Winston Churchill, with that simulated simplicity which certain Englishmen affec$ for the edification of Americans, dropping this beauty...
...actual, 1931, 48,800...
...1931 521...
...Milton, W. Vs...
...I Just sighted him," said the other, and they began cautiously to approach their game...
...1926, 75.5...
...The figure which had been se...
...In general Russian industry showed an average gain for 1931 of 20 per cent compared with 1930, whereas an average gain of better than 40 per cent- was what the revised control figures for the five year plan called for...
...Leather Shoes in millions of pairs: 1928, 23.6...
...actual, 1931, 136.6...
...1928, 150...
...If a man in America wanted to expand his business, he would cut down on his expenditures for food, .clothing and luxuries and put the money back in his business to Increase his plant and capital equipment...
...The capitalist owner of industry has been almost completely gotten rid of, yet Industry runs successfully and the output expands and expands at a much greater rate than capitalist industry anywhere has expanded...
...They are doing this, and this new capital equipment now belongs to them instead of to private capitalists...
...1929, 30,000...
...If each member concedes to other members the right to be heard democracy In the party is preserved...
...1929, 13,749...
...The New Leader Forum Is intended to serve as a vehicle for the expression of the views of our readers as expressed in letters to the editor or In articles dealing with controversial matters...
...1930, 62.8...
...And is the difference between the two ideals as sketched above, worth a single handful of mud-slinging...
...actual, 1931, 4,900...
...Railway Freight carried In millions of metric tons: 1913, 132.4...
...In 1913, Russl produced 28.9 millions of metric tons of coal...
...In the meantime...
...Machinery Output Doubles The total machinery output, Including industrial as well as agricultural machinery, a good deal more than doubled...
...Let us hope not...
...Chemical fertilizers have Increased the yield per acre and are now used on nearly half the area sown to cotton'compared with one-fortieth of the much smaller area sown to cotton before the war...
...1930, 7714...
...It's a safe assumption fiat when men of the British Tory persuasion hover around somebody is going to get skinned...
...1929, 176.5...
...Pig iron in thousands of metric tons: 1913, 4216.3...
...For the experiment was carried on under the most unfavorable conditions...
...1923, 2,710...
...Difficulties Conquered Russia suffered severely from the war...
...Incidentally one wonders what he was doing here...
...They tramped around for several hours and were getting very hungry, when one suddenly said, "There's our dinner in the hedge yonder, a fine fat rabbit...
...The Russian people as a whole are doing just that, namely cutting down on their expenditures for food and clothing with the added factor that they had very little in the way of luxuries to start with, so that they had to forego some things which we in America would regard as necessities, in order to Increase the number of mines and factories and the amount of capital equipment and machinery at their command...
...The area sown to cotton was 31 per cent more In 1931 than 1930, double the 1929 area, and more than three times the pre-war area...
...The Standard of Living That the improvement in the standard of living of the Russian masses has not kept pace with the increase in her Industrial capacity is probably true, though I speak here only from a balancing of widely conflicting evidence...
...27,500...
...Which is the more Important...
...And production of steel and pig iron was actually slightly less in 1931 than in the previous year...
...I'm sure that in hie Inimitable style he could have done justice to the ampin thief...
...The rise in the production of coal is shown by the following figures...
...I can see Stalin pacing the floor at night upon receipt of our recently passed resolution...
...Agricultural Machinery valued In millions of pre-war rubles: 1913, 67...
...For automobiles the figures were for 1930 8,550 units, for 1931 20,511...
...Let us try to extend their scope by, let us say...
...planned, 1931, 12,700...
...1028, 2543...
...In 1930 it amounted to 2,210,000,000 rubles worth and In 1931 amount to 5,724,000,000 worth...
...actual, 1931, 10,600...
...planned, 1931, 53,000...
...11120, 213...
...1930, 18,900...
...1928, 150.6...
...Soviet Russia has thus demonstrated beyond any question that it is possible to carry on industry and expand industry without calling in private profit as the motive or the private capitalist as the administrator...
...Anything wrong with that brother Socialist...
...In Britain, the charge for mailing a letter is three cents which is above actual cost and there Is always a surplus which Is used to reduce taxation...
...DISCUSSING RUSSIA By Frank McCaUster At the recent City convention I was somewhat bewildered that a discussion oq Russia took up the major time of the delegates, practically to the exclusion of discussions as to the organization program and the steps to be taken to cement the Socialist movement to the working class In general...
...By adopting this policy we In America will be pointing out the advantage gained by the Russian workers through their nationalization or socialization (?) programme...
...The editor of The New Leader reserves the light to edit letters In the interest of conciseness...
...Furthermore the successful Russian experiment with a Socialist non-profit organization of Industry has been carried on under conditions which made success more difficult than it woiild be if the United States government should be controlled by Socialists...
...planned, 1931, 143...
...I believe that it Is about time that the Socialist Party and The New Leader stopped playing "Ostrich" on the Russian question and adopted the policy followed by The American Guardian, that Is, to emphasize the past and future achievements of the Soviet Government...
...1931, 84.6...
...Electrical Power Output in millions of kilowatt hours: 1913, IMS...
...in 1930, 46.7...
...The years 1931 found production at 56...
...1928, 28,300...
...Stew, my eye," said the other...
...The contributions printed do not necessarily represent the point of view of The New Leader...
...Our present state of society is termed "capitalistic," but it is not so...
...1924, 5,720...
...1928, 3,280.6...
...Other figures on production tell a similar story...
...In this country the charges for service are actually below co6t and there is a constant deficit which has to be made good by taxation...
...MORGAN AND CHURCHILL By H. To match the historic utterance, "Which depression...
...Comrades, have faith in the Russian workers, for, when they will be ready for democratic parliamentarypolitical action, they will see to it that they get it...
...These revised figures, however, had been marked up owing to the extraordinary success achieved in the first two years of the five year plan...
...THE NEW LEADER FORM Russia's Industrial Progress— The First Three Years By Alfred Baker Lewis SUFFICIENT figures for 1931 are now available on Soviet Russia'a planned economy to make plain that her achievements in increasing production are remarkable...
...planned, 1931...
...The discussion is educational...
...1930, 290...
...1929, 4018.7...
...And you, brother Communist, would not object to paying $5 for a suit of clothes instead of $25, would you...
...1930, 4969.4...
...actual, 1931, 22,300...
...In order that as wide a variety of letters -may be printed as possible, letters should wherever possible be limited to 500 words...
...but lack of space In your column will not permit me to enumerate them...
...Yet she has literally been able to lift herself by her bootstraps economically, an achievement that is little short of marvelous...
...They cost a lot of money and we all contribute more or less to their upkeep and they are absolutely free of everybody's use, every bit of their cost being liquidated by taxation...
...About three months ago I read a letter In The New Leader In which the writer asked to have explained to him the difference between Socialism and Communism, but the explanation was not forthcoming...
...1930, 127.8...
...Wouldn't It be far better if, instead of fighting over the manner In which you are going to "cook your rabbit," you would postpone the fight until after you have shot your quarry...
...1929, 120.4...
...1929, 6208...
...Otherwise It Is not.—Editor...
...1929, 2S.16...
...SOUR RUSSIA By Samuel A. Helfgott It is my belief that Socialism in the United States and elsewhere will, in • large measure, rise or fall in proportion to the success or failure of Socialism in Soviet Russia...
...Socialism and Communism have both got a firm grip on our institutions and will never be repealed...
...in 1929, 40.6...
...Anything wrong with that, brother Communist...
...To follow this course, is to advance Socialism, not the Communist Party, in the United States...
...1926, 116.7...
...1930, 392...
...in 1926 production rose to 25.4 During the first three years of the five year plan, the production figures are : 1928, 35.4...
Vol. 13 • April 1932 • No. 14
