the crisis in russia(俄国危机)-第4节
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wood cannot do it on empty stomachs。 And again rises a cry for trains；
that do not arrive； for food that exists somewhere； but not in the forest
where men work。 The general effect of the wreck of transport on food is
stated as follows： Less than 12 per cent。 of the oats required； less than 5
per cent。 of the bread and salt required for really efficient working； were
brought to the forests。 Nonetheless three times as much wood has been
prepared as the available transport has removed。
The towns suffer from lack of transport； and from the combined
effect on the country of their productive weakness and of the loss of their
old position as centres through which the country received its imports
from abroad。 Townsfolk and factory workers lack food； fuel； raw
materials and much else that in a civilized State is considered a necessary
of life。 Thus； ten million poods of fish were caught last year； but there
were no means of bringing them from the fisheries to the great industrial
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centres where they were most needed。 Townsfolk are starving； and in
winter； cold。 People living in rooms in a flat； complete strangers to each
other； by general agreement bring all their beds into the kitchen。 In the
kitchen soup is made once a day。 There is a little warmth there beside the
natural warmth of several human beings in a small room。 There it is
possible to sleep。 During the whole of last winter； in the case I have in
mind； there were no means of heating the other rooms； where the
temperature was almost always far below freezing point。 It is difficult to
make the conditions real except by individual examples。 The lack of
medicines； due directly to the blockade； seems to have small effect on the
imagination when simply stated as such。 Perhaps people will realize
what it means when instead of talking of the wounded undergoing
operations
without anesthetics I record the case of an acquaintance； a Bolshevik；
working in a Government office； who suffered last summer from a slight
derangement of the stomach due to improper and inadequate feeding。 His
doctor prescribed a medicine； and nearly a dozen different apothecaries
were unable to make up the prescription for lack of one or several of the
simple ingredients required。 Soap has become an article so rare （in Russia
as in Germany during the blockade and the war there is a terrible absence
of fats） that for the present it is to be treated as a means of safeguarding
labor； to be given to the workmen for washing after and during their work；
and in preference to miners； chemical； medical and sanitary workers； for
whose efficiency and health it is essential。 The proper washing of
underclothes is impossible。 To induce the population of Moscow to go to
the baths during the typhus epidemic； it was sufficient bribe to promise
to each person beside the free bath a free scrap of soap。 Houses are
falling into disrepair for want of plaster； paint and tools。 Nor is it
possible to substitute one thing for another； for Russia's industries all
suffer alike from their dependence on the West； as well as from the
inadequacy of the transport to bring to factories the material they need。
People remind each other that during the war the Germans； when similarly
hard put to it for clothes； made paper dresses； table…cloths； etc。 In Russia
the nets used in paper…making are worn out。 At last； in April； 1920 （so
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THE CRISIS IN RUSSIA
Lenin told me）； there seemed to be a hope of getting new ones from
abroad。 But the condition of the paper industry is typical of all； in a
country which； it should not be forgotten； could be in a position to supply
wood…pulp for other countries besides itself。 The factories are able to
produce only sixty per cent。 of demands that have previously； by the
strictest scrutiny； been reduced to a minimum before they are made。 The
reasons； apart from the lack of nets and cloths； are summed up in absence
of food； forage and finally labor。 Even when wood is brought by river
the trouble is not yet overcome。 The horses are dead and eaten or starved
and weak。 Factories have to cease working so that the workmen；
themselves underfed； can drag the wood from the barges to the mills。 It
may well be imagined what the effect of hunger； cold； and the
disheartenment consequent on such conditions of work and the seeming
hopelessness of the position have on the productivity of labor； the fall in
which reacts on all the industries； on transport； on the general situation and
so again
on itself。
Mr。 J。 M。 Keynes； writing with Central Europe in his mind （he is； I
think； as ignorant of Russia as I am of Germany）； says： 〃What then is our
picture of Europe？ A country population able to support life on the fruits
of its own agricultural production； but without the accustomed surplus for
the towns； and also （as a result of the lack of imported materials； and so of
variety and amount in the salable manufactures of the towns） without the
usual incentives to market food in exchange for other wares； an industrial
population unable to keep its strength for lack of food； unable to earn a
livelihood for lack of materials； and so unable to make good by imports
from abroad the failure of productivity at home 。〃
Russia is an emphasized engraving； in which every line of that
picture is bitten in with repeated washes of acid。 Several new lines；
however； are added to the drawing； for in Russia the processes at work
elsewhere have gone further than in the rest of Europe； and it is possible to
see dimly； in faint outline； the new stage of decay which is threatened。
The struggle to arrest decay is the real crisis of the revolution； of Russia；
and； not impossibly； of Europe。 For each country that develops to the
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end in this direction is a country lost to the economic comity of Europe。
And； as one country follows another over the brink； so will the remaining
countries be faced by conditions of increasingly narrow self…dependence；
in fact by the very conditions which in Russia； so far； have received their
clearest； most forcible illustration。
THE SHORTAGE OF MEN
In the preceding chapter I wrote of Russia's many wants； and of the
processes visibly at work； tending to make her condition worse and not
better。 But I wrote of things； not of people。 I wrote of the shortage of
this and of that； but not of the most serious of all shortages； which； while
itself largely due to those already discussed； daily intensifies them； and
points the way to that further stage of decay which is threatened in the
near future in Russia； and； in the more distant future in Europe。 I did not
write of the shortage deterioration of labor。
Shortage of labor is not peculiar to Russia。 It is among the postwar
phenomena common to all countries。 The war and its accompanying
eases have cost Europe； including Russia； an enormous number of able…
bodied men。 Many millions of others have lost the habit of regular
work。German industrialists complain that they cannot get labor； and that
when they get it； it is not productive。 I heard complaints on the same
subject in England。 But just as the economic crisis； due in the first
instance to the war and the isolation it imposed； has gone further in Russia
than elsewhere； so
