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Russia started work last year； and this year we shall have a number of such
plows made in our country； not because it is economic so to make them；
but because we could get them in no other way。 In so far as is possible；
we shall have to make ourselves self…supporting； so as somehow or other
to get along even if the blockade； formal or perhaps willy…nilly （imposed
by the inability of the West to supply us）； compels us to postpone
cooperation with the rest of Europe。 Every day of such postponement is
one in which the resources of Europe are not being used in the most
efficient manner to supply the needs not only of our own country but of
all。〃
I referred to what he had told me last year about the intended
electrification of Moscow by a station using turf fuel。
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〃That；〃 he said； 〃is one of the plans which； in spite of the war； has
gone a very long way towards completion。 We have built the station in
the Ryezan Government； on the Shadul peat mosses； about 110 versts from
Moscow。 Before the end of May that station should be actually at work。 （It
was completed； opened and partially destroyed by a gigantic fire。） Another
station at Kashira in the Tula
Government （on the Oka）； using the small coal produced in the
Moscow coalfields； will be at work before the autumn。 This year similar
stations are being built at Ivano…Voznesensk and at Nijni…Novgorod。
Also； with a view to making the most economic use of what we already
possess； we have finished both in Petrograd and in Moscow a general
unification of all the private power…stations； which now supply their
current to a single main cable。 Similar unification is nearly finished at
Tula and at Kostroma。 The big water…power station on the rapids of the
Volkhov is finished in so far as land construction goes； but we can proceed
no further until we have obtained the turbines； which we hope to get from
abroad。 As you know； we are basing our plans in general on the
assumption that in course of time we shall supply the whole of Russian
industry with electricity； of which we also hope to make great use in
agriculture。 That； of course； will take a great number of years。〃
＇Nothing could have been much more artificial than the industrial
geography of old Russia。 The caprice of history had planted great
industrial centers literally at the greatest possible distance from the sources
of their raw materials。 There was Moscow bringing its coal from Donetz；
and Petrograd； still further away； having to eke out a living by importing
coal from England。 The difficulty of transport alone must have forced
the Russians to consider how they could do away with such anomalies。
Their main idea is that the transport of coal in a modern State is an almost
inexcusable barbarism。 They have set themselves； these ragged
engineers； working in rooms which they can hardly keep above freezing…
point and walking home through the snow in boots without soles； no less a
task than the electrification of the whole of Russia。 There is a State
Committee presided over by an extraordinary optimist called
Krzhizhanovsky； entrusted by the Supreme Council of Public Economy
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and Commissariat of Agriculture with the working out of a general plan。
This Committee includes； besides a number of well…known practical
engineers； Professors Latsinsky； Klassen； Dreier； Alexandrov； Tcharnovsky；
Dend and Pavlov。 They are investigating the water power available in
different districts in Russia； the
possibilities of using turf； and a dozen similar questions including；
perhaps not the least important； investigation to discover where they can
do most with least dependence on help from abroad。＇
Considering the question of the import of machinery from abroad； I
asked him whether in existing conditions of transport Russia was actually
in a position to export the raw materials with which alone the Russians
could hope to buy what they want。 He said：
〃Actually we have in hand about two million poods （a pood is a little
over thirty…six English pounds） of flax； and any quantity of light leather
（goat； etc。）； but the main districts where we have raw material for
ourselves or for export are far away。 Hides； for example； we have in
great quantities in Siberia； in the districts of Orenburg and the Ural River
and in Tashkent。 I have myself made the suggestion that we should offer
to sell this stuff where it is； that is to say not delivered at a seaport； and
that the buyers should provide their own trains； which we should
eventually buy from them with the raw material itself； so that after a
certain number of journeys the trains should become ours。 In the same
districts we have any quantity of wool； and in some of these districts corn。
We cannot； in the present condition of our transport； even get this corn for
ourselves。 In the same way we have great quantities of rice in Turkestan；
and actually are being offered rice from Sweden； because we cannot
transport our own。 Then we have over a million poods of copper； ready
for export on the same conditions。 But it is clear that if the Western
countries are unable to help in the transport； they cannot expect to get raw
materials from us。〃
I asked about platinum。 He laughed。
〃That is a different matter。 In platinum we have a world monopoly；
and can consequently afford to wait。 Diamonds and gold； they can have as
much as they want of
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such rubbish； but platinum is different； and we are in no hurry to part
with it。 But diamonds and gold ornaments； the jewelry of the Tsars； we
are ready to give to any king in Europe who fancies them； if he can give us
some less ornamental but more useful locomotives instead。〃
I asked if Kolchak had damaged the platinum mines。 He replied；
〃Not at all。 On the contrary； he was promising platinum to everybody
who wanted it； and he set the mines going； so we arrived to find them in
good condition； with a considerable yield of platinum ready for use。〃
（I am inclined to think that in spite of Rykov's rather intransigent
attitude on the question； the Russians would none the less be willing to
export platinum； if only on account of the fact in comparison with its great
value it requires little transport； and so would make possible for them an
immediate bargain with some of the machinery they most urgently need。）
Finally we talked of the growing importance of the Council of Public
Economy。 Rykov was of opinion that it would eventually become the
centre of the whole State organism； 〃it and Trades Unions organizing the
actual producers in each branch。〃
〃Then you think that as your further plans develop； with the creation
of more and more industrial centres； with special productive populations
concentrated round them； the
Councils of the Trades Unions will tend to become identical with the
Soviets elected in the same districts by the same industrial units？〃
〃Precisely；〃 said Rykov； 〃and in that way the Soviets； useful during
the period of transition as an instrument of struggle and dictatorship； will
be merged with the Unions。〃 （One
important factor； as Lenin pointed out when considering the same
question； is here left out of count； namely the political development of the
enormous agricultural as opposed to industrial population。）
〃But if this merging of political Soviets with productive Unions
occurs； the questions that concern people will cease to be political
questi