russia in 1919(1919的俄国)-第21节
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their ability to inspire confidence by their mere appearance； is of real
importance in a country where so many of the peasantry will judge their
value by nothing else。
I reminded him of the hostility roused in some villages by mistakes in
the assessment and collecting of the Extraordinary Tax； mistakes which
（so other Communists had assured me） would cost them more； politically；
than the tax was worth to them； and asked him； 〃Will you not have great
difficulty in getting the exchange made； and are you not running the risk
of providing the reactionaries with a new profitable basis of agitation？〃
He said that of course they would not make the attempt unless they
felt sure they were politically strong enough to carry it through。 〃If it is
properly explained to the villages there will be nothing to fear； because the
measure will not threaten any but the rich and therefore the small minority
of the peasantry。 It would be a different matter if the same thing were to
be tried by the counter…revolutionaries； because they would not
discriminate in favour of the poor。 If Kolchak and Company overthrow us
and try to substitute their money for ours； their action would affect rich
and poor alike； minority and majority together。 If there were not a
hundred other causes guaranteeing the insecurity of their position； the fact
that they will be unable to get rid of our money without rousing the most
violent opposition in the masses throughout the country would alone be
sufficient to do it。〃
I asked whether that was the reason why they intended to print on the
notes 〃Proletariat of all lands； unite；〃 so that the counter…revolutionaries；
unable to tolerate money bearing that hated phrase； should be forced to a
step disastrous for themselves。
He laughed； and said that he did not think counter…revolution in the
least likely unless brought in by invasion； which he did not think
politically possible。
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RUSSIA IN 1919
A PLAY OF CHEKHOV
February 21st。
I saw Chekhov's 〃Uncle Vanya〃 acted by the cast of the Art Theatre
in the First Studio。 This is a little theatre holding just over 200 people。
It was of course full。 It was curious to see how complete the revolution
had been in a social sense。 It was impossible to tell to what class in pre…
revolutionary days any particular member of the audience had belonged。
I was struck by the new smartness of the boy officers of the Red Army； of
whom a fair number were present。 As we waited for the curtain to rise； I
thought how the mental attitude of the people had changed。 A year ago；
we lived with exhilaration or despair on a volcano which might any day
erupt and sweep away the new life before any one had become
accustomed to live it。 Now the danger to the revolution was a thousand
miles away on the various fronts。 Here； in the centre； the revolution was
an established fact。 People had ceased to wonder when it would end；
were settling into their places in the new social order； and took their
pleasures not as if they were plucking flowers on their way to execution；
but in the ordinary routine of life。
The play is well known； a drama of bourgeois society in a small
country place。 A poor landowner scraping money for an elder brother in
the town； realizing at last that the brother was not the genius for whom
such sacrifice was worth while； a doctor with a love for forestry and
dreams of the future； the old mock…genius's young wife； his sister； his
adoring mother； the old nurse and the ancient dependent adopted； as it
were； with the estate； all these people in their own way make each other
suffer。 Chekhov's irony places before us wasted lives； hopelessness；
exaggerated interest in personalities； vain strugglings after some better
outlet for the expression of selves not worth expressing。
That play； acted to…day； seemed as remote as a play of the old regime
in France would have seemed five years ago。 A gulf seemed to have
passed。 The play had become a play of historical interest； the life it
represented had gone for ever。 People in Russia no longer have time for
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RUSSIA IN 1919
private lives of such a character。 Such people no longer exist； some of
them have been swept into the flood…tide of revolution and are working as
they never hoped to have the chance to work； others； less generous； have
been broken and thrown aside。 The revolution has been hard on some； and
has given new life to others。 It has swept away that old life so absolutely
that； come what may； it will be a hundred years at least before anywhere
in Russia people will be able to be unhappy in that particular way again。
The subject of 〃Uncle Vanya〃 was a great deal more remote from the
Russian audience of today than was the opera of 〃Samson and Delilah〃
which I heard last week。 And； if I realized that the revolution had come
to stay； if I realized that Chekhov's play had become a play of historical
interest； I realized also that Chekhov was a great master in that his work
carried across the gulf between the old life and the new； and affected a
revolutionary audience of to…day as strongly as it affected that very
different audience of a few years ago。 Indeed； the play seemed almost to
have gained by the revolution； which had lent it； perhaps； more irony than
was in Chekhov's mind as he wrote。 Was this the old life？ I thought； as
I stepped out into the snow。 If so； then thank God it has gone！
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RUSSIA IN 1919
THE CENTRO…TEXTILE
February 22nd。
This morning I drove to the Dielovoi Dvor； the big house on the
Varvarskaya Square which is occupied by the central organization of the
textile industry。 The head of this organization is Nogin； an extremely
capable； energetic Russian； so capable； indeed； that I found it hard to
believe he could really be a Russian。 He is a big man； with a mass of
thick brown shaggy hair； so thick that the little bald patch on the top of his
head seems like an artificial tonsure。 Nogin sketched the lines on which
the Russian textile industry was being reorganized； and gave orders that I
should be supplied with all possible printed matter in which to find the
details。
The 〃Centro…Textile〃 is the actual centre of the economic life of
Russia； because； since textiles are the chief materials of exchange between
the towns and the villages； on its success depends the success of
everything else。 The textile industry is； in any case； the most important
of all Russian； industries。 Before the war it employed 500；000 workmen；
and Nogin said that in spite of the disorganization of the war and of the
revolution 400；000 are employed to…day。 This may be so in the sense that
400；000 are receiving pay； but lack of fuel or of raw material must have
brought many factories to a standstill。
All the big factories have been nationalized。 Formerly； although in
any one town there might be factories carrying out all the different
processes； these factories belonged to different owners。 A single firm or
bank might control factories scattered over Russia and； so that the whole
process should be in its hands； the raw material travelled from factory to
factory through the country； instead of merely moving about a single town。
Thus a roll of material might have gone through one process at Jaroslav；
another at Moscow； and a third at Tula； and finally come back to Jaroslav
to be finished； simply because the different factories which worked upon it；
though widely scattered； happened to be under one control。
Nationalization has made possible the rational regrouping of factories so
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RUSSIA IN 1919
that the complete process is carried out in one place；
