the crisis in russia(俄国危机)-第6节
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complain of their tools； but even good ones become disheartened if
compelled to work with makeshifts； mended tools； on a stock of materials
that runs out from one day to the next； in factories where the machinery
may come at any moment to a standstill from lack of fuel。 There would
thus be a shortage of labor in Russia； even if the numbers of workmen
were the same today as they were before the war。 Unfortunately that is
not so。 Turning from the question of low productivity per man to that of
absolute shortage of men： the example given at the beginning of this
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chapter； showing that in the most important group of factories the number
of workmen has fallen 50 per cent。 is by no means exceptional。 Walking
through the passages of what used to be the Club of the Nobles； and is
now the house of the Trades Unions during the recent Trades Union
Congress in Moscow； I observed among a number of pictorial diagrams
on the walls； one in particular illustrating the rise and fall of the working
population of Moscow during a number of years。 Each year was
represented by the picture of a factory with a chimney which rose and fell
with the population。 From that diagram I took the figures for 1913； 1918
and 1919。 These figures should be constantly borne in mind by any one
who wishes to realize how catastrophic the shortage oflabor in Russia
actually is； and to judge how sweeping may be the changes in the social
configuration of the country if that shortage continues to increase。 Here
are the figures：
Workmen in Moscow in 1913。。。。。。。。。。。。159；344 Workmen in Moscow
in 1918 。。。。。。。。。。。157；282 Workmen in Moscow in 1919。。。。。。。。。。。。105；210
That is to say； that one…third of the workmen of Moscow
ceased to live there； or ceased to be workmen； in the course of a single
year。 A similar phenomenon is observable in each one of the big
industrial districts。
What has become of those workmen？
A partial explanation is obvious。 The main impulse of the
revolution came from the town workers。 Of these； the metal workers
were the most decided； and those who most freely joined the Red Guard in
the early and the Red Army in the later days of the revolution。 Many； in
those early days； when there was more enthusiasm than discipline； when
there were hardly any experienced officers； and those without much
authority； were slaughtered during the German advance of 1918。 The
first mobilizations； when conscription was introduced； were among the
workers in the great industrial districts。 The troops from Petrograd and
Moscow； exclusively workmen's regiments； have suffered more than any
other during the civil war； being the most dependable and being thrown；
like the guards of old time； into the worst place at any serious crisis。
Many thousands of them have died for the sake of the revolution which；
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were they living； they would be hard put to it to save。 （The special
shortage of skilled workers is also partially to be explained by the
indiscriminate mobilizations of 1914…15； when great numbers of the most
valuable engineers and other skilled workers were thrown into the front
line； and it was not until their loss was already felt that the Tsar's
Government in this matter came belatedly to its senses。）
But these explanations are only partial。 The more general answer to
the question； What has become of the workmen？ lies in the very economic
crisis which their absence accentuates。 Russia is unlike England； where
starvation of the towns would be practically starvation of the whole island。
In Russia； if a man is hungry； he has only to walk far enough and he will
come to a place where there is plenty to eat。 Almost every Russian
worker retains in some form or other connection with a village； where； if
he returns； he will not be an entire stranger； but at worst a poor relation；
and quite possibly an honored guest。 It is not surprising that many
thousands have 〃returned to the land〃 in this way。
Further； if a workman retains his connection； both with a distant
village and with a town； he can keep himself and his family fat and
prosperous by ceasing to be a workman； and； instead； traveling on the
buffers or the roof of a railway wagon； and bringing back with him sacks
of flour and potatoes for sale in the town at fantastic prices。 Thereby he is
lost to productive labor； and his uncomfortable but adventurous life
becomes directly harmful； tending to increase the strain on transport； since
it is obviously more economical to transport a thousand sacks than to
transport a thousand sacks with an idle workman attached to each sack。
Further； his activities actually make it more difficult for the town
population to get food。 By keeping open for the village the possibility of
selling at fantastic prices； he lessens the readiness of the peasants to part
with their flour at the lower prices of the Government。 Nor is it as if
his activities benefited the working population。 The food he brings in
goes for the most part to those who have plenty of money or have things to
exchange for it。 And honest men in Russia to…day have not much money；
and those who have things to exchange are not as a rule workmen。 The
theory of this man's harmfulness is； I know； open to argument； but the
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practice at least is exactly as I have stated it； and is obviously attractive to
the individual who prefers adventure on a full stomach to useful work on
an empty。 Setting aside the theory with its latent quarrel between Free
Trade and State control； we can still recognize that each workman engaged
in these pursuits has become an unproductive middleman； one of that very
parasitic species which the revolutionaries had hoped to make unnecessary。
It is bad from the revolutionary point of view if a workman is so employed；
but it is no less bad from the point of view of people who do not care
twopence about the revolution one way or the other； but do care about
getting Russia on her feet again and out of her economic crisis。 It is bad
enough if an unskilled workman is so employed。 It is far worse if a
skilled workman finds he can do better for himself as a 〃food speculator〃
than by the exercise of his legitimate craft。 From mines； from every kind
of factory come complaints of the decreasing proportion of skilled to
unskilled workmen。 The superior intelligence of the skilled worker
offers him definite advantages should he engage in these pursuits； and his
actual skill gives him other advantages in the villages。 He can leave his
factory and go to the village； there on the spot to ply his trade or variations
of it；
when as a handy man； repairing tools； etc。； he will make an easy living
and by lessening the dependence of the village on the town do as much as
the 〃food speculator〃 in worsening the conditions of the workman he has
left behind。
And with that we come to the general changes in the social
geography of Russia which are threatened if the processes now at work
continue unchecked。 The relations between town and village are the
fundamental problem of the revolution。 Town and countryside are in
sharp contradiction daily intensified by the inability of the towns to supply
the country's needs。 The town may be considered as a singl
