russia in 1919(1919的俄国)-第19节
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bald…headed； wrinkled man； who tilts his chair this way and that； laughing
over one thing or another； ready any minute to give serious advice to any
who interrupt him to ask for it； advice so well reasoned that it is to his
followers far more compelling than any command； every one of his
wrinkles is a wrinkle of laughter； not of worry。 I think the reason must be
that he is the first great leader who utterly discounts the value of his own
personality。 He is quite without personal ambition。 More than that； he
believes； as a Marxist； in the movement of the masses which； with or
without him； would still move。 His whole faith is in the elemental forces
that move people； his faith in himself is merely his belief that be justly
estimates the direction of those forces。 He does not believe that any man
could make or stop the revolution which he thinks inevitable。 If the
Russian revolution fails； according to him； it fails only temporarily； and
because of forces beyond any man's control。 He is consequently free
with a freedom no other great man has ever had。 It is not so much what
he says that inspires confidence in him。 It is this sensible freedom； this
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RUSSIA IN 1919
obvious detachment。 With his philosophy he cannot for a moment
believe that one man's mistake might ruin all。 He is； for himself at any
rate； the exponent； not the cause； of the events that will be for ever linked
with his name。
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RUSSIA IN 1919
THE SUPREME COUNCIL OF
PUBLIC ECONOMY
February 20th。
To…day was an unlucky day。 I felt tired； ill and hungry； and had
arranged to talk with both Rykov； the President of the Supreme Council of
People's Economy； and Krestinsky； the Commissar of Finance； at such
awkward times that I got no tea and could get nothing to eat until after
four o'clock。 Two such talks on an empty stomach （for the day before I
had had only a plate of soup and a little scrap of fish） were a little too
much for me； and I fear I did not gather as much information as I should
have collected under better conditions。
I had a jolly drive； early in the morning； through the Chinese Town；
and out by the gate in the old wall； up Myasnitzkaya Street； and round to
the right to a building that used to be the Grand Hotel of Siberia； a
loathsome place where I once stayed。 Here in the old days provincial
merchants put up； who did not mind high prices and a superfluity of bugs。
It has now been turned into a hive of office work； and is the headquarters
of the Supreme Council of Public Economy； which； controlling
production and distribution alike； is the centre of the constructive work
going on throughout the country。
This Council； the theorists tell me； is intended to become the central
organization of the state。 The Soviets will naturally become less and less
important as instruments of political transition as that transition is
completed and the struggle against reaction within and without comes to
an end。 Then the chief business of the state will no longer be to protect
itself against enemies but to develop its economic life； to increase its
productivity and to improve the material conditions of the workers of
whom it is composed。 All these tasks are those of the Supreme Council
of Public Economy； and as the bitterness of the struggle dies away this
body； which came into being almost unnoticed in the din of battle； will
become more and more important in comparison with the Soviets； which
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RUSSIA IN 1919
were in origin not constructive organizations but the instruments of a
revolution； the hardest stages of which have already been accomplished。
It is perhaps worth while to set out here the constitution of this
Council。 It is considered at present as the economic department of the
All…Russian Central Executive Committee； to which； and to the Council of
People's Commissaries； it is responsible。 It regulates all production and
distribution。 It reports on the various estimates of the state budget and； in
conjunction with the Commissariats of Finance and State Control； carries
out the financing of all branches of public economy。 It consists of 69
members； and is composed as follows：Ten representatives from the All…
Russian Executive Committee； thirty from the All…Russian Industrial
Productive Union （a union of Trade Unions）； twenty from the ten District
Councils of Public Economy； two from the All…Russian Council of
Workers' Cooperative Societies； and one representative each from the
Commissariats of Supply； Ways of Communication； Labour； Agriculture；
Finance； Trade and Industry； and Internal Affairs。 It meets as a whole at
least once in every month。 The work of its members is directed by a
Presidium of nine members； of which it elects eight； the President being
elected by the All…Russian Central Executive Committee； and enjoying the
rank of a People's Commissar or Minister。
I had a long talk with Rykov； the President； or rather listened to a
long lecture by him； only now and then succeeding in stopping him by
forcing a question into the thread of his harangue。 He stammers a little；
and talks so indistinctly that for the first time （No。 The first time was
when Chicherin gabbled through the provisions of the Brest Treaty at the
fourth All…Russian Assembly。） I felt willing to forgive normal Russians；
who nearly always talk as if they were in Petrograd and their listener in
Vladivostok。
Part of what he said is embodied in what I have already written。 But
besides sketching the general aims of the Council； Rykov talked of the
present economic position of Russia。 At the moment Russian industry
was in peculiar difficulties owing to the fuel crisis。 This was partly due
to the fact that the Czechs and the Reactionaries； who had used the Czechs
to screen their own organization； had control of the coalfields in the Urals；
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RUSSIA IN 1919
and partly to the fact that the German occupation of the Ukraine and the
activities of Krasnov had cut off Soviet Russia from the Donetz coal basin；
which had been a main source of supply； although in the old days
Petrograd had also got coal from England。 It was now； however； clear
that； with a friendly Ukraine； they would have the use of the Donetz basin
much sooner than they had expected。
The Brest peace and the deprivations it involved had made them
consider the position of the industrial districts from a new standpoint； and
they were determined to make Petrograd and Moscow as far as possible
independent of all fuel which had to be brought from a distance。 He
referred to the works in progress for utilizing water power to provide
electrical energy for the Petrograd factories； and said that similar
electrification； on a basis of turf fuel； is planned for Moscow。
I asked how they were going to get the machines。 He said that of
course they would prefer to buy them abroad； but that； though this was
impossible； the work would not be delayed on that account； since they
could make a start with the machines they had。 Turbines for the
Petrograd works they still hoped to obtain from abroad when peace had
been arranged。 If the worst came to the worst he thought they could
make their own。 〃That is one unexpected result of Russia's long isolation。
Her dependence on imports from a
