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shattered and that the building is threatened with a collapse which will
bury all the inhabitants of the house together； and that； therefore； the only
immediate task is the strengthening of the foundation and the walls。
Extraordinary firmness； extraordinary courage is necessary； not only not to
listen to the cries and groans of old men； women； children and sick；
coming from every floor； but also to decide on taking from the inhabitants
of all floors the instruments and materials necessary for the strengthening
of the foundations and walls； and to force them to leave their corners and
hearths； which they are doing the best they can to make habitable； in order
to drive them to work on the strengthening of the walls and foundations。〃
Gusev's main idea was that the Communists were asking new
sacrifices from a weary and exhausted people； that without such sacrifices
these people would presently find themselves in even worse conditions；
and that； to persuade them to make the effort necessary to save themselves；
it was necessary to have a perfectly clear and easily understandable plan
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which could be dinned into the whole nation and silence the criticism of
all possible opponents。 Copies of his little book came to Moscow。
Lenin read it and caused excruciating jealousy in the minds of several
other Communists； who had also been trying to find the philosopher's
stone that should turn discouragement into hope； by singling out Gusev for
his special praise and insisting that his plans should be fully discussed at
the Supreme Council in the Kremlin。 Trotsky followed Lenin's lead； and
in the end a general programme for Russian reconstruction was drawn up；
differing only slightly from that which Gusev had proposed。 I give this
scheme in Trotsky's words； because they are a little fuller than those of
others； and knowledge of this plan will explain not only what the
Communists are trying to do in Russia； but what they would like to get
from us today and what they will want to get tomorrow。 Trotsky says：…
〃The fundamental task at this moment is improvement in the condition
of our transport； prevention of its further deterioration and preparation of
the most elementary stores of food； raw material and fuel。 The whole of
the first period of our reconstruction will be completely occupied in the
concentration of labor on the solution of these problems； which is a
condition of further progress。
〃The second period （it will be difficult to say now whether it will be
measured in months or years； since that depends on many factors
beginning with the international situation and ending with the unanimity
or the lack of it in our own party） will be a period occupied in the building
of machines in the interest of transport； and the getting of raw materials
and provisions。
〃The third period will be occupied in building machinery； with a view
to the production of articles in general demand； and； finally； the fourth
period will be that in which we are able to produce these articles。〃
Does it not occur； even to the most casual reader； that there is very
little politics in that program； and that； no matter what kind of Government
should be in Russia； it would have to endorse that programme word for
word？ I would ask any who doubt this to turn again to my first two
chapters describing the nature of the economic crisis in Russia； and to
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THE CRISIS IN RUSSIA
remind themselves how； not only the lack of things but the lack of men； is
intimately connected with the lack of transport； which keeps laborers ill
fed； factories ill supplied with material； and in this way keeps the towns
incapable of supplying the needs of the country； with the result that the
country is most unwilling to supply the needs of the town。 No Russian
Government unwilling to allow Russia to subside definitely to a lower
level of civilization can do otherwise than to concentrate upon the
improvement of transport。 Labor in Russia must be used first of all for
that； in order to increase its own productivity。 And； if purchase of help
from abroad is to be allowed； Russia must 〃control〃 the outflow of her
limited assets； so that； by healing transport first of all； she may increase
her power of making new assets。 She must spend in such a way as
eventually to increase her power of spending。 She must prevent the
frittering away of her small purse on things which； profitable to the vendor
and doubtless desirable by the purchaser； satisfy only individual needs and
do not raise the producing power of the community as a whole。
RYKOV ON ECONOMIC PLANS AND ON THE
TRANSFORMATION OF THE COMMUNIST PARTY
Alexei Rykov； the President of the Supreme Council of Public
Economy； is one of the hardest worked men in Russia； and the only time I
was able to have a long talk with him （although more than once he
snatched moments to answer particular questions） was on a holiday； when
the old Siberian Hotel； now the offices of the Council； was deserted； and I
walked through empty corridors until I found the President and his
secretary at work as usual。
After telling of the building of the new railway from Alexandrovsk
Gai to the Emba； the prospects of developing the oil industry in that
district； the relative values of those deposits and of those at Baku； and the
possible decreasing significance of Baku in Russian industry generally； we
passed to broader perspectives。 I asked him what he thought of the
relations between agriculture and industry in Russia； and supposed that
he did not imagine that Russia would ever become a great industrial
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country。 His answer was characteristic of the tremendous hopes that
nerve these people in their almost impossible task； and I set it down as
nearly as I can in his own words。 For him； of course； the economic
problem was the first； and he spoke of it as the director of a huge trust
might have spoken。 But； as he passed on to talk of what he thought
would result from the Communist method of tackling that problem； and
spoke of the eventual disappearance of political parties； I felt I was trying
to read a kind of palimpsest of the Economist and
News from Nowhere； or listening to a strange compound of William
Morris and； for example； Sir Eric Geddes。 He said： 〃We may have to
wait a long time before the inevitable arrives and there is a Supreme
Economic Council dealing with Europe as with a single economic whole。
If that should come about we should； of course； from the very nature of
our country； be called upon in the first place to provide food for Europe；
and we should hope enormously to improve our agriculture； working on a
larger and larger scale； using mechanical plows and tractors； which would
be supplied us by the West。 But in the meantime we have to face the fact
that events may cause us to be； for all practical purposes； in a state of
blockade for perhaps a score of years； and； so far as we can； we must be
ready to depend on ourselves alone。 For example； we want mechanical
plows which could be procured abroad。 We have had to start making
them ourselves。 The first electric plow made in Russia and used in
Russia started work last year； and this year we shall have a number of such
plows made in our country； not