the crisis in russia(俄国危机)-第3章
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themselves dependent upon imports。 Russian towns began to be hungry
in 1915。 In October of that year the Empress reported to the Emperor
that the shrewd Rasputin had seen in a vision that it was necessary to bring
wagons with flour； butter and sugar from Siberia； and proposed that for
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three days nothing else should be done。 Then there would be no strikes。
〃He blesses you for the arrangement of these trains。〃 In 1916 the
peasants were burying their bread instead of bringing it to market。 In the
autumn of 1916 I remember telling certain most incredulous members of
the English Government that there would be a most serious food shortage
in Russia in the near future。 In 1917 came the upheaval of the revolution；
in
1918 peace； but for Russia； civil war and the continuance of the
blockade。 By July； 1919； the rarity of manufactured goods was such that
it was possible two hundred miles south of Moscow to obtain ten eggs for
a box of matches； and the rarity of goods requiring distant transport
became such that in November； 1919； in Western Russia； the peasants
would sell me nothing for money； whereas my neighbor in the train bought
all he wanted in exchange for small quantities of salt。
It was not even as if； in vital matters； Russia started the war in a
satisfactory condition。 The most vital of all questions in a country of
huge distances must necessarily be that of transport。 It is no
exaggerationto say that only by fantastic efforts was Russian transport able
to save its face and cover its worst deficiencies even before the war began。
The extra strain put upon it by the transport of troops and the maintenance
of the armies exposed its weakness； and with each succeeding week of war；
although in 19l6 and 1917 Russia did receive 775 locomotives from
abroad； Russian transport went from bad to worse； making inevitable a
creeping paralysis of Russian economic life； during the latter already acute
stages of which the revolutionaries succeeded to the disease that had
crippled their precursors。
In 1914 Russia had in all 20；057 locomotives； of which 15；047 burnt
coal； 4；072 burnt oil and 938 wood。 But that figure of twenty thousand
was more impressive for a Government official； who had his own reasons
for desiring to be impressed； than for a practical railway engineer； since of
that number over five thousand engines were more than twenty years old；
over two thousand were more than thirty years old； fifteen hundred were
more than forty years old； and 147 patriarchs had passed their fiftieth
birthday。 Of the whole twenty thousand only 7；108 were under ten years
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of age。 That was six years ago。 In the meantime Russia has been able
to make in quantities decreasing during the last five years by 40 and 50 per
cent。 annually； 2；990 new locomotives。 In 1914 of the locomotives then
in Russia about 17；000 were in working condition。 In 1915 there were；
in spite of 800 new ones； only 16；500。 In 1916 the number of healthy
locomotives was slightly higher； owing partly to the manufacture of 903 at
home in the preceding year and partly to the arrival of 400 from abroad。
In 1917 in
spite of the arrival of a further small contingent the number sank to
between 15；000 and 16；000。 Early in 1918 the Germans in the Ukraine
and elsewhere captured 3；000。 Others were lost in the early stages of the
civil war。 The number of locomotives fell from 14；519 in January to 8；457
in April； after which the artificially instigated revolt of the Czecho…
Slovaks made possible the fostering of civil war on a large scale； and the
number fell swiftly to 4；679 in December。 In 1919 the numbers varied
less markedly； but the decline continued； and in December last year
4；141 engines were in working order。 In January this year the number
was 3；969； rising slightly in February； when the number was 4；019。 A
calculation was made before the war that in the best possible conditions
the maximum Russian output of engines could be not more than1；800
annually。 At this rate in ten years the Russians could restore their
collection of engines to something like adequate numbers。 Today； thirty
years would be an inadequate estimate； for some factories； like the
Votkinsky； have been purposely ruined by the Whites； in others the lathes
and other machinery for building and repairing locomotives are worn out；
many of the skilled engineers were killed in the war with Germany； many
others in defending the revolution； and it will be long before it will be
possible to restore to the workmen or to the factories the favorable
material conditions of 1912…13。 Thus the main fact in the present crisis is
that Russia possesses one…fifth of the number of locomotives which in
1914 was just sufficient to maintain her railway system in a state of
efficiency which to English observers at that time was a joke。 For six
years she has been unable to import the necessary machinery for making
engines or repairing them。 Further； coal and oil have been； until recently；
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cut off by the civil war。 The coal mines are left； after the civil war； in
such a condition that no considerable output may be expected from them
in the near future。 Thus； even those engines which exist have had their
efficiency lessened by being adapted in a rough and ready manner for
burning wood fuel instead of that for which they were designed。
Let us now examine the combined effect of ruined transport and the
six years' blockade on Russian life in town and country。 First of all
was cut off the import of manufactured
goods from abroad。 That has had a cumulative effect completed； as it
were； and rounded off by the breakdown of transport。 By making it
impossible to bring food； fuel and raw material to the factories； the wreck
of transport makes it impossible for Russian industry to produce even that
modicum which it contributed to the general supply of manufactured
goods which the Russian peasant was accustomed to receive in exchange
for his production of food。 On the whole the peasant himself eats rather
more than he did before the war。 But he has no matches； no salt； no
clothes； no boots； no tools。 The Communists are trying to put an end to
illiteracy in Russia； and in the villages the most frequent excuse for
keeping children from school is a request to come and see them； when
they will be found； as I have seen them myself； playing naked about the
stove； without boots or anything but
