per cent. of her already inadequate peacetime output. In
1917 it had fallen to 2.1 per cent. The Soviet Government
is making efforts to raise it, and is planning new factories
exclusively for the making of these things. But, with
transport in such a condition, a new factory means
merely a new demand for material and fuel which there are
neither engines nor wagons to bring. Meanwhile, all over
Russia, spades are worn out, men are plowing with burnt
staves instead of with plowshares, scratching the surface of
the ground, and instead of harrowing with a steel-spiked
harrow of some weight, are brushing the ground with light
constructions of wooden spikes bound together with wattles.


The actual agricultural productive powers of Russia are
consequently sinking. But things are no better if we turn from
the rye and corn lands to the forests. Saws are worn
out. Axes are worn out. Even apart from that, the shortage
of transport affects the production of wood fuel, lack of
which reacts on transport and on the factories and so on in a
circle from which nothing but a large import of engines and
wagons will provide an outlet. Timber can be floated down

the rivers. Yes, but it must be brought to the rivers. Surely
horses can do that. Yes, but, horses must be fed, and oats
do not grow in the forests. For example, this spring (1920)
the best organized timber production was in Perm
Government. There sixteen thousand horses have been
mobilized for the work, but further development is
impossible for lack of forage. A telegram bitterly reports,