the crisis in russia(俄国危机)-第4部分
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
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
12
… Page 13…
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
13
… Page 14…
THE CRISIS IN RUSSIA
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 the shortage of labor； at present a handicap； an
annoyance in more fortunate countries； is in Russia perhaps the greatest of
the national dangers。 Shortage of labor cannot be measured simply by
the decreasing numbers of the workmen。 If it takes two workmen as long
to do a particular job in 1920 as it took one man to do it in 1914； then；
even if the number of workman has remained the same； the actual supply
of labor has been halved。 And in Russia the situation is worse than that。
For example； in the group of State metal…working factories； those； in fact
which may be considered as the weapon with which Russia is trying to cut
14
… Page 15…
THE CRISIS IN RUSSIA
her way out of her transport difficulties； apart from the fact that there were
in 19l6 81；600 workmen； whereas in 1920 there are only 42；500； labor has
deteriorated in the most appalling manner。 In 1916 in these factories 92
per cent。 of the nominal working hours were actually kept； in 1920 work
goes on during only 60 per cent。 of the nominal hours。 It is estimated
that the labor of a single workman produces now only one quarter of what
it produced in 1916。 To take another example； also from workmen
engaged in transport； that is to say； in the most important of all work at the
present time： in the Moscow junction of the Moscow Kazan Railway；
between November 1st and February 29th （1920）； 292 workmen and
clerks missed 12；048 working days； being absent； on in average； forty
days per man in the four months。 In Moscow passenger…station on this
line； 22 workmen missed in November 106 days； in December 273； in
January 338； and in February 380； in an appalling
crescendo further illustrated by the wagon department； where 28
workmen missed in November 104 days and in February 500。 In
November workmen absented themselves for single days。 In February
the same workmen were absent for the greater part of the month。 The
invariable excuse was illness。 Many cases of illness there undoubtedly
were； since this period was the worst of the typhus epidemic； but besides
illness； and besides mere obvious idleness which no doubt accounts for a
certain proportion of illegitimate holidays； there is another explanation
which goes nearer the root of the matter。 Much of the time filched from
the State was in all probability spent in expeditions in search of food。 In
Petrograd； the Council of Public Economy complain that there is a
tendency to turn the eight…hour day into a four…hour day。 Attempts are
being made to arrest this tendency by making an additional food
allowance conditional on the actual fulfilment of working days。 In the
Donetz coal basin； the monthly output per man was in 1914 750 poods； in
1916 615 poods； in 1919 240 poods （figures taken from Ekaterinoslav
Government）； and in 1920 theoutput per man is estimated at being
something near 220 poods。 In the shale mines on the Volga； where food
conditions are comparatively good； productivity is comparatively high。
Thus in a small mine near Simbirsk there are 230 workmen； of' whom 50
15
… Page 16…
THE CRISIS IN RUSSIA
to 60 are skilled。 The output for the unskilled is 28。9 poods in a shift； for
the skilled 68。3。 But
