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in an exhausted country； it would be possible to get anything done at all。
The result of this is that in their work of economic reconstruction the
Communists get the support of most of the best engineers and other
technicians in the country； men who take no interest whatsoever in the
ideas of Karl Marx； but have a professional interest in doing the best they
can with their knowledge； and a patriotic satisfaction in using that
knowledge for Russia。 These men； caring not at all about Communism；
want to make Russia once more a comfortably habitable place； no matter
under what Government。 Their attitude is precisely comparable to that of
the officers of the old army who have contributed so much to the success
of the new。 These officers were not Communists； but they disliked civil
war； and fought to put an end of it。 As Sergei Kamenev； the Commander…
in…Chief； and not a Communist； said to me； 〃I have not looked on the civil
war as on a struggle between two political ideas； for the Whites have no
definite idea。 I have considered it simply as a struggle between the
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Russian Government and a number of mutineers。〃 Precisely so do these
〃bourgeois〃 technicians now working throughout Russia regard the task
before them。 It will be small satisfaction to them if famine makes the
position of any Government impossible。 For them the struggle is quite
simply a struggle between Russia and the economic forces tending
towards a complete collapse of civilization。
The Communists have thus practically the whole intelligence of the
country to help them in their task of reconstruction； or of salvage。 But
the educated classes alone cannot save a nation。 Muscle is wanted
besides brain； and the great bulk of those who can provide muscle are
difficult to move to enthusiasm by any broad schemes of economic
rearrangement that do not promise immediate improvement in their own
material conditions。 Industrial conscription cannot be enforced in Russia
unless there is among the conscripted themselves an understanding；
although a resentful understanding； of its necessity。 The Russians have
not got an army of Martians to enforce effort on an alien
people。 The army and the people are one。 〃We are bound to admit；〃
says Trotsky； 〃that no wide industrial mobilization will succeed； if we do
not capture all that is honorable； spiritual in the peasant working masses in
explaining our plan。〃 And the plan that he referred to was not the
grandiose （but obviously sensible） plan for the eventual electrification of
all Russia； but a programme of the struggle before them in actually getting
their feet clear of the morass of industrial decay in which they are at
present involved。 Such a programme has actually been decided upon…a
programme the definite object of which is to reconcile the workers to work
not simply hand to mouth； each for himself； but to concentrate first on
those labors which will eventually bring their reward in making other
labors easier and improving the position as a whole。
Early this year a comparatively unknown Bolshevik called Gusev； to
whom nobody had attributed any particular intelligence； wrote； while busy
on the staff of an army on the southeast front； which was at the time being
used partly as a labor army； a pamphlet which has had an extraordinary
influence in getting such a programme drawn up。 The pamphlet is based
on Gusev's personal observation both of a labor army at work and of the
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attitude of the peasant towards industrial conscription。 It was extremely
frank； and contained so much that might have been used by hostile critics；
that it was not published in the ordinary way but printed at the army press
on the Caucasian front and issued exclusively to members of the
Communist Party。 I got hold of a copy of this pamphlet through a friend。
It is called 〃Urgent Questions of Economic Construction。〃Gusev sets out
in detail the sort of opposition he had met； and says： 〃The Anarchists；
Social Revolutionaries and Mensheviks have a clear； simple economic
plan which the great masses can understand： 'Go about your own business
and work freely for yourself in your own place。' They have a criticism of
labor mobilizations equally clear for the masses。 They say to them； 'They
are putting Simeon in Peter's place； and Peter in Simeon's。 They are
sending the men of Saratov to dig the ground in the Government of
Stavropol； and the Stavropol men to the Saratov Government for the same
purpose。' Then besides that there is 'nonparty' criticism：
'When it is time to sow they will be shifting muck； and when it is time
to reap they will be told to cut timber。' That is a particularly clear
expression of the peasants' disbelief in our ability to draw up a proper
economic plan。 This belief is clearly at the bottom of such questions as；
'Comrade Gusev； have you ever done any plowing？' or 'Comrade Orator；
do you know anything about peasant work？' Disbelief in the townsman
who understands nothing about peasants is natural to the peasant； and we
shall have to conquer it； to get through it； to get rid of it by showing the
peasant； with a clear plan in our hands that he can understand； that we are
not altogether fools in this matter and that we understand more than he
does。〃 He then sets out the argument which he himself had found
successful in persuading the peasants to do things the reward for which
would not be obvious the moment they were done。 He says； 〃I compared
our State economy to a colossal building with scores of stories and tens of
thousands of rooms。 The whole building has been half smashed； in
places the roof has tumbled down； the beams have rotted； the ceilings are
tumbling； the drains and water pipes are burst； the stoves are falling to
pieces； the partitions are shattered； and； finally； the walls and foundations
are unsafe and the whole building is threatened with collapse。 I asked；
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how； must one set about the repair of this building？ With what kind of
economic plan？ To this question the inhabitants of different stories； and
even of different rooms on one and the same story will reply variously。
Those who live on the top floor will shout that the rafters are rotten and
the roof falling； that it is impossible to live； there any longer； and that it is
immediately necessary； first of all； to put up new beams and to repair the
roof。 And from their point of view they will be perfectly right。
Certainly it is not possible to live any longer on that floor。 Certainly the
repair of the roof is necessary。 The inhabitants of one of the lower stories
in which the water pipes have burst will cry out that it is impossible to live
without water； and therefore； first of all； the water pipes must be mended。
And they； from their point of view； will be perfectly right； since it certainly
is impossible to live without water。 The inhabitants of the floor where
the stoves have fallen to pieces will insist on an immediate mending of the
stoves； since they and their children are dying of cold because there is
nothing on which they can heat up water or
boil kasha for the children； and they； too； will be quite right。 But in
spite of all these just demands； which arrive in thousands from all sides； it
is impossible to forget the most important of all； that the foundation is
shattered