had succeeded in training 32,000 Red Commanders, that is
to say, officers from the working class itself, and that it was
not Utopian to hope and work for a similar output of

workmen specialists, technically trained, and therefore
themselves qualified for individual command in the factories.
Meanwhile there was nothing against the employment of
Political Commissars in the factories as formerly in the
regiments, to control in other than technical matters the
doings of the specialists. On the other hand, it was said that
the appointment of Commissars would tend to make
Communists unpopular, since inevitably in many cases they
would have to support the specialists against the workmen,
and that the collegiate system made the workmen feel that
they were actually the masters, and so gave possibilities of
enthusiastic work not otherwise obtainable. This last point
was hotly challenged. It was said that collegiate control
meant little in effect, except waste of time and efficiency,
because at worst work was delayed by disputes and at best
the workmen members of the college merely countersigned
the orders decided upon by the specialists. The enthusiastic
work was said to be a fairy story. If it were really to be
found then there would be no need for a conference to
discover how to get it.


The most serious opposition, or at least the most serious
argument put forward, for there was less opposition than
actual discussion, came from some of the representatives of
the Trade Unionists. A good deal was said about the