REPORT ON THE
RUSSIANS
I White A
INSTALLMENT TEN
The war's climax came in 1943
with the successful defense of Stalin
grad. The Germans had by this
time been dealt a crippling blow
to their air force in Africa. Rus
sians pointed out scornfully that this
African campaign involved few
men; however, it required masses
of highly complicated transport and
machines.
Furthermore, the RAF and the
Eighth Air Force in England were
by then pounding German industry,
and the Germans had to strip the
Russian front of Messerschmitts to
defend their home factories, so
that for the first time the Russians
had superiority in the air. Lend
Lease, including thousands of
trucks, was now pouring in, the Ger
man lines of communication were
perilously extended, and for the first
time it was possible for a Russian
army to move quickly out to en
velop and cut off a German army,
as theirs had been enveloped so
many times before.
Russia's factories behind the
Urals were working; new ones were
equipped with American machine
Hma POUND THAT Mllttt
^ S A WO ^NATION I
WHO OWNS THE WORLD'S KNQJVN
OIL RESERVES
RUSSIA TRAINS MORE DOCTORS
Russia is a big nation as Hitler
also found out.
tools. By the summer of 1944 at
least half of the Red Army's road
transportation was being supplied by
210,000 American military trucks,
40,000 jeeps and 30,000 other military
motor vehicles. She also had 5,600
American tanks and tank destroy
ers, and was using $225,000,000 worth
of machine tools?a total of $5,750,
000,000 worth of Lend-Lease aid. At
last Russia's crushing superiority
in manpower could become effec
tive.
But as the Anglo-American offen
sive opened in France, the Soviet
government loyally kept her agree
ment, made at Teheran, to start a
drive from the east. To do this, she
was drafting for front-line duty men
who had already been discharged
with wounds and others previously
rejected for serious physical defects
?the dregs of any nation's power.
But the Soviet government kept
faith.
One reason for the success of
the Red Army is that the breach
between its old-line, experienced of
ficers and the Communist Party is
now completely healed. Originally
the Red Army was burdened with
a system of political commissars
whose duty it was to watch the of
ficers, and whose authority could
under certain circumstances exceed
that of the unit's regular command
er.
The political commissars have
been absorbed in the army, with
regular military rank and duties.
Political education continues, but
not to the neglect of military train
ing. Membership in the Communist
Partw alurove porrioe linow .on
? V ?- ?' ?? v?...?vo liva V J 1CJ|JVII*
sibility, and this continues in the
army. Party members are supposed
to set an example to the others?
not only in efficiency but in bravery
under fire, and as consequence the
Party has had more than its share
of casualties. Its membership, for
merly 2,500,000, was increased to
4,000,000, but many of them have
been killed.
But the Party is strong in the
army, and a man who wishes to ad
vance must usually join.
The army's achievements have
given it a great pride in itself and
some little contempt for the outside
world.
Moscow correspondents have a
deep respect for the competence of
its leadership and often, when irri
tated by the stupidity of a Russian
civilian official, they would remind
each other that some of this was
temporary, as all the country's real
ly intelligent and efficient men were
in the Red Army.
The farmer lives on a collective
or state farm, where he does his
share of the common work. When
the crop is sold, certain overhead
expenses must be met. There are
substantial state taxes. His collec
tive probably owes money for farm
implements and these installments
must be paid. The Collective has
probably pledged itself to buy a tank
far the Red Army. Taking these
items together, nine-tenths of what I
it raises must be sold to the State
at the low-pegged official price.
But not all. A small surplus of
produce usually remains, and this
is distributed among the farmers,
free either to eat it or bring it to
town for sale in the free market at
any price. This is also true of what
each farmer raises in the small
kitchen garden tract which is allot
ted him. It is supposedly only large
enough for his family's needs, but
usually something is left over.
In America commission men make
the rounds of farm houses in trucks,
buying surplus vegetables for resale
in town. In the Soviet Union both
the farmer and the commission man
would get a five-year sentence, be
cause that is exploitation. To avoid
this crime, the Soviet farmer must
take time to hitch up and go to
market where he sells personally
what he raises, and the hungry
housewif; may go by subway clear
across Moscow to find him.
The rouble-per-kilo prices I trans
late into American dollars and cents
per pound. But remember that on
this same basis, our Russian war
worker gets a total of $20 a week.
At the Rynok, she may buy eggs
at $13.10 a dozen. She may buy as
big a chunk of bread as she wants
at the rate of $5.67 per pound. Mut
ton (or perhaps goat)?a bargain at
$11.34 per pound?more than half
her week's wages. Sugar beet at 80
cents a pound. Honey at $15 a
pound.
An old lady is selling a calf's head
and its four knuckles at $18 for the
collection, with the hair on and
glassy eyes open, attracting a few
flies.
Another wrinkled old lady is sell
ing a bunch of peonies, asking (and
getting) $1.60 per flower. A man is
selling a crudely made wooden coat
hanger for $1.02. This sale is legal
in Russia because the seller whit
tled it himself. Potatoes are $1.05
r>pnt<! a nnnnH TJirua mii?% ?
jelly glass at a dollar without the
glass. Cheese for $6 a pound.
Stockings, slightly used and care
fully mended, cost $6.25 for the cot
ton ones and $25 for the rayon pair.
A man is selling his extra pair of
shoes, somewhat worn but look fair
ly stout, for 1,000 roubles?$80 in our
money?exactly a month's salary
for our warworker. A pair of new
evening shoes would cost $333.33.
Here a girl is selling a sweater?
since it is warm now?and this is a
real English camel's hair or cash
mere. And any Russian would call
it a bargain at $56. Still, this is
June. She could get much more
next October?but she's hungry now.
However, remember that these
food prices listed above are excep
tional; our $80 a month Soviet war
worker has already bought with her
ration book at the government-con
trolled store about nine-tenths of the
food she uses and has paid only $6.50
per month for it, at low-pegged,
state prices.
The Soviet government's problem
was basically that of our own: its
people were getting high war wages,
but there was nothing to spend them
on. We solve it partly by taxation
and partly by selling our people
bonds, so that after the war they
might sell the bonds and buy mer
chandise at normal prices. War
bonds are sold in Russia, many even
bear interest. But a large propor
tion of Soviet war financing consists
of outright gifts solicited from in
dividuals, factories, and co-opera
tives, either in cash or in kind. Also
the government gets money by
charging fantastic prices for luxu
ries in state-owned stores, thus put
ting part of the war on a solid pay
as-you-go basis which would delight
a Vermont Republican.
Russians are skeptical about
bonds, because a man who owns
one has purchasing power the state
can't control. His whims constitute
a danger to the state economy. He
may take a notion to buy before the
government is ready to sell. He may
prefer a radio instead of a wooden
table, an<^ create a sudden shortage
in radios!
While dependent on state wages,
he is on a hand-to-mouth basis and
his purchasing power can be con
trolled. He will get a radio only
when they are ready to make radios,
and the first sets will go to those
whom the government thinks most
deserve them. If he owns a bond,
or has hoarded his high wartime
wages the whole carefully planned
economy is threatened.
The Soviet government has met
this peril most ingeniously. In April
of 1944, It reopened "Commercial
Stores." In them the government
sells you almost any luxury in food
or clothing at prices about equal
with those in the free market and
without ration coupons.
In American terms, the Soviet
government runs its own black mar
ket as a state enterprise to skim
from its workers the bulk of their
war wages.
When peace comes, they hope to
have most of the worker's savings
in the hands of the government
(without obligation to repay him, as
our government must redeem its
war bonds) and he will be back on
a hand-to-mouth basis, dependent on
his government-controlled salary.
In America a man who saves
money la regarded as a sound and
valuable citizen. In Russia he is
viewed with suspicion as a hoard
er, a potential capitalist to be
watched for the criminal tendency
of exploiting his fellow workers by
giving them jobs.
Into one of these government
owned "Commercial Stores" steps
our $20 a week Soviet warworker
without her ration book. This black
market is perfectly legal?the gov
ernment makes the profit?not soma
racketeer. The cheapest grade of
baloney sells for $13.20 per pound
or boiled ham at $26.46 per pound or
bacon at $24.57 per pound. A dressed
chicken at only $13.20 per pound.
Beef?about the grade America
uses for soup meat?is $13.62 per
pound, mutton $13.20, and pickled
herring $13.20 per pound.
Luxuries, too. If she plans to
have a few friends in for a snack,
there is sliced, cooked sturgeon at
$13.20 per pound, black caviar at
$19.73 per pound; almond meats the
same, and also hazel nuts. For an
omelette from really fresh eggs
(never sure in the free market) at
only $1.25 per egg, and a pint of
nice, fresh thick cream for $8. Swiss
cheese at $20 per pound.
Outside this store a long line
stretches around the block; shabby
warworkers eager to pay these
prices. Inside there is another long
line to the cashier's desk. It takes
the better part of a day to get in,
buy a few items and get out again.
This is one of only twenty "Com
mercial Stores" in Moscow.
The government has already tried
patriotic appeal; countless drives
urging factories and collective farms
to buy tanks and planes for the Red
Army but this was not enough.
There remains considerable money
now in the hands of the farmers who
have been selling food at the fantas
tic free market prices for some
time, and have been paying fantas
tic prices for second-hand clothing.
The government opened a chain of
clothing stores exactly like its com
mercial food stores, where new,
stout, warm clothes, including many
luxury items, are on sale at black
market prices. Thus, it takes from
{he farmer all he has saved from
selling food in the free market to
city workers.
The people do not protest the gov
ernment taking over the functions
of the illegal black market. They
seem glad to buy these things, and
count the new shops among the oth
er blessings of this society.
Some effort is made to present
the merchandise attractively, just
as our post office would prefer to
put out pretty stamps. But it doesn't
greatly matter, any more than Kan
sas particularly cares whether its
auto license tags are prettier or eas
ier to screw on than those of neigh
boring Oklahoma.
The architect who drew the plans
for dreary workers' apartment had
to please, not the people who live
in it, nor the promoter-owners who
hoped to keep it rented, but the gov
ernment officials who approved his
drawings. The tenants live there
not because they like its facade or
its plumbing, but because it belongs
to the factory where they work or
because they lack the necessary
prestige or political connections to
wangle more square meters of liv
ing space in a better one.
Under our way of doing things, a
man who saves money instead of
spending it to have a good time, per
I
Russia's wheat flelds saved that
country.
forms a useful act. For out of such ,
savings our factories are built and
our farms improved.
These Socialists can argue that
when saving and spending are left
up to the individual, they can get
out of control and wreck a nation's
business structure. Panicky saving
can stop all business activity and
throw millions out of work. They
can argue that the greatest waste of
capitalism is not the money we
spend feeding the unemployed, but
the valuable man-hours of work
which our nation loses when these
millions are either idle, or when
they are employed by the state in
ways which do not compete with
private business.
(TO be cotrnmjED)
IMPROVED
UNIFORM INTERNATIONAL
Sunday i
chool Lesson
By BAROLD L. LUNDQU18T. D. O.
Of Moody Bible Institute of Chicago.
Released by Western Newspaper Union.
Lesson for May 19
Lesson subjects snd Scripture texts se
lected and copyrighted by International
Council of Religious Education, used by
permission.
A FRIEND WHO LEARNED
TO BELIEVE
LESSON TEXT?John 11: 1. I. 16; 10:
M-S
MEMORY SELECTION ? Bleucd or*
they that have not aeon, and yet have
believed J>hn 20 29.
Doubt iind faith?both seem to
come to the hearts and minds of
men. Yef; they are directly contra
dictory to one another and cannot
exist together. To believe is to
drive out doubt, and when doubt
comes in, faith loses its grip.
Thomas,, and his experience fol
lowing the resurrection of our Lord,
presents a lesson on what a man
can do to meet honest doubt and
how such -a man can come out into
the sunshine of faith.
We find in Thomas, first, an ex
pression at
I. Fearless Loyalty (John 11:7, 6,
16).
Unafraid of the threats of men,
Jesus was about to go once more
into Juden. On his last two visits
ol a1 ? i a ? ? ?- " ?"
uicic, uio jews naa sougnt 10 Kill
him, namely, at the (east of taber
nacles (John 8:59) and at the feast
of dedication (John 10:31).
He was not one to draw back for
the fear of men when the Father's
will led him forward in his service
to humanity. Lazarus was dead,
and Mary and Martha needed him
and he wis going to them.
Then came a fine expression of
the loyalty of Thomas. If his Lord
was going to face death, he was will
ing to go along and die with him.
Let us recognize that here was a
man of real courage, willing to show
his loyalty even by giving his life.
There :s something fine about
that attitude, and something which
shows us that when this man later
expressed doubt, it was not the
?illy and shallow unbelief of a
trifler. Tkiis man loved the Lord and
served him, and yet he failed him.
When ?.? think we are strong, we
had better watch out lest we fail.
Let us b* clear and triumphant in ,
our declaration of loyalty to Christ,
both by word and by life. And then
let us set a double guard against
the enemy of our souls.
Thomas next appears in
n. Faithless Failure (John 16:24,
25).
He had been willing to die for his
Lord, or with him, but now the Lord
had been taken by wicked hands and
crucified. He and the disciples
were alone to face a hostile world;
at least so it seemed to them.
The awful day of crucifixion
preyed heavily upon the mind of
Thomas. That is evident from verse
25. He had been thinking of those
awful bleeding wounds, and had for
gotten abeut the promises of resur
rection.
Jesus died, and that is a precious
truth; but one must not stop there,
for a dead Saviour is no Saviour
at all. Thomas got sidetracked In
his thinki.ig. Let us not make the
same mistake.
Another reason for his failure
was that he did not go to the meet
ing of hi i brethren. Perhaps he
did not feel like going, and did not
think it was any use to go. Ah,
but that's just the time one needs
the fellowship of other believers. Go,
and you will meet the Lord!
The Lord was there and Thomas
missed hiin. We, too, will miss the
Lord and his blessing if we stay
away from his house and the meet
ing of his people.
Having gone thus far in discour
aged unbelief, it was easy for
Thomas to take the next step and
demand piysical proof of the resur
rection. His despondency had now
reached ti e place of making unrea
sonable demands and of discredit
ing the witness of others.
We are glad that we can cloae
our study on the note of renewed
faith and it
ILL Foil Confession (John 16:28
29).
Note that the Lord was ready
fully to meet the demands of Thom
as, even though they were on the
unreasonable side. That was un
doubtedly because he knew the es
sential fineness and trueness of
Thomas.
His doubts were unfortunate and
entirely unnecessary, but they were
genuine. No real doubter will ever
remain ore long, for if he brings a
genuine doubt to the Lord, he will
find it fully met. It is the trifiers,
those who use their doubts to hide
their sins, and those who are un
willing to bring their dark thoughts
into the light of the presence of
Jesus, who go on doubting year aft
er year.
Notice the comment of Jesus fol
lowing th! glad and complete con
fession of faith by Thomas. It is a
good thing to believe because one
has sean and been convinced. That
is proper and blessed.
But the real fullness of blessing
comes to the one who can rise to
faith in Christ because of his word,
quite apart from the visible or tan
gible evidence. This is real Chris
tian faith which declares Christ to
be our Lord and our God, the one
whom having not seen, we love <T
Pet 1:8).
Soil Plans Should
Cover Several Years
Fertilize to Replace
Lost Organic Matter
Stressing that there are no "short
cuts" to producing high yields on
poor, run-down, overcropped land.
Prof. A. L. Lang of the agronomy
department, University of Illinois,
advised farmers to let soil tests
guide their soil improvement and
fertilizer program.
"When soil tests show strong acid
ity and a need for limestone, they
also indicate a low state of organic
matter," he pointed out. "When
soils are low in organic matter, they
are usually in a state of poor tilth,
lack nitrogen and have insufficient
water holding capacity. Any
amount of mineral fertilizers can
not be expected to economically
raise corn and other grain crops
yields until the lime, organic matter
and nitrogen requirements of the
soil are met."
Lang urged farmers to apply
limestone, phosphorus and potash
fertilizers for the legume sod crops
in accordance with the needs of the
land as indicated by chemical tests.
Phosphate being mined tor In
clusion In mixed fertiliser.
Then, he added, grow maximum
legume hay crops, either plowing
them back into the soil green or
as animal manure.
"The best method is to plan a
business-like, systematic program
or action on the farm that will over
a period of years return the land
to its native state of high and per
manent productivity," Lung stated.
On highly productive soil, mixed
fertilizer of the proper grade and
properly applied may supply eco
nomically a portion of the main
tenance rations and in addition give
that extra "umph" so often needed
during the early stages of growth,
he said. Quickly available plant
foods applied near the seed of crops
at planting time help overcome
many external handicaps such as
insect damage, weed competition
and unfavorable weather conditions,
he concluded.
Small Swing Door
Small Swinging Door That Provide*
Eaay Access to a Building for Animals
This awing door provides easy
access to any building for small
animals. The hinges are bolted to
the wall or fence as shown with two
bolts each. But before bolting hinges
to the wall, they are fastened with
two large nails to the door as shown.
The type of door would be satisfac
tory on hog houses during winter
months.
Clipping Dairy Cows
Insures Milk Quality
A few minutes spent clipping the
cow's belly, udder, flanks and tail
wui uui oiu> save
time of brushing
and washing them
but will greatly re
duce the bacteria
count, according to
tests conducted at
Michigan State col-,
lege.
It was found that
the count was two
to four times high
ci ui uie cue ui miiK irom un
dipped cows than from those which
had been properly clipped.
Farm Doors Opened
By Automatic Control
Many automatic controls are be
ing applied to reduce the man-hours
of lnbor on the farm. One of the
newest la an adaption of the prox
imity control, so sensitive to any
object which comes near, it auto
matically throws a switch to open
gates when cows gather before milk
ing time. The Minneapolis-Honey
well device is worked in conjunction
with an automatic timer, thus pre
venting gate opening too soon.
NEEDLECRAFT PATTERNS ?
Smart Cross-Stitch for Linens
C* MBROIDER these fruits in nat
*-? ural colors on dining linens.
It's just cross-stitch but it looks
like gingham applique; use on
scarfs, too.
? ? ?
Do this cross-stitch in two shades of a
color or varied colors. Pattern S36 has
transfer of nine motifs 2>/? by 2>.fc to
IS by 15 inches; stitches.
Due to an un usually Urge demand and
current conditions, iLightly more time la
required in filling orders tor a few of the
most popuUr pattern numbers.
Send your order to:
Sewing Circle NeedUeraft Dept.
SZ Eighth ATS. New ferfe
Enclose SO cents for Pattern.
No.
AHMp??
{BoifA, lOaukL JOJul
dicuuL Way, to Play,
?
A group of small boys were gath
ered in a vacant lot, excitedly
planning a game. This attracted
the attention of a woman passer
by, who stopped and inquired as
to what the youngsters were go
ing to play.
"We're gonna play baseball,"
said one of the youngsters. "Gonna
play a game of the United States
against the West Indies I"
"Are some of you going to
blacken your faces to represent the
team from the West Indies, then?"
asked the lady.
"Oh, no," said the boy. "Some
of us will just have to wash our
faces."
r'iBLECTKOC^TE**FLI ESlf
FLY ELECTROCUTOR
BT THE MILLIONS *
Bait with milk, etc., and place *
where fliea are concentrated. $
Plug Into 11* volt A. C. only. ?
Metal Construction.
Urn
IB SECT EUCTROCVTOK CO. *
lltaiM n I WM.OM. J
THREE O'CLOCK . . .
AND I HAVENT SLEPT.'A'WINK*
WAKEFUL NICHTS-bnr the time drift! Mmutai
?eem like hour*, we wuiy over things done and left
undone. After such a night, we get up in the momiig
more tired than when we went to bed. Nervous
Tension causes many a wakeful night and wakeful
nights are likely to cause Nervous Tension. Next time
you feel Nervous and Keyed Up or begin to toss*
fumble and worry after you get to bed?try
MILES NERVINE
(Liqmid o. Bfawot Tifcl ti)
mileo mutvuee. nop* to ate Ncmn lemon?to permit reneemm
etoqx Wh?l you^are Keyed Up?Omahy. Fidgety, Wakeful, take Mike
Get Mile* Nerrine at jrour drug atore. Efferveacent Tablet*. Large Package
75e, Small Package Uei Litpiid, Large Bottle 11.00, Small Bottle Be, botk
equally effective a* a eedatire, both guaranteed to aatiafy at year money
back. CAUTION?Take only aa directed.
fiiuf, 2L.?. SavinqA.. SondA,!
How to CHANGE A
TIRE AT NIGHT...
Mora Quickly?
Mora Safalyl
1 FcwmoCDciiuandiiftn
I ? tirn at night with
top spaed, efficiency - and
tsftly! Night tire-changing
can be hazardous ? bat
"Eraready" flash lights can
redact tfaa danger. First
principle, says the Anseri
can Aasotnobile Awn. it...
2 Park of tba bi|hnf
if 70a cms poesibly do
to. Nat bat place if 00 a
tfreight stretch of road. If
70a matt park on a carta,
a light should be set 00 tba
road loot distance back.
Be sure neither 70a nor ?
bystander blocks off tba
view of your tail-Ughtl
14 Keep *11 rout tire
wl changing tools ti?d or
bond logrtb*r, when yam
caa pick then up wsthon
Marching. Remove yum
spare bejort jacking up can
removing it later might
push car off jack. If alons^
set flashlight on a sun* in
convenient position.
4 In roar car or at home?wber- '
ever 700 need a flashlight?rely EXTRA
only 00 **Eveready" batteries. Ask *'| J N POWER,
for them br n?ny For "ETereadr"* .*H
ba?er,es ZTTmZk.TZt, i ucr**- KTSAUfl
why you'll find them in mort flash- Hi ?AT NO
li|ht> than any other battery in tha SI ?*TT"*^ IXTSA COST
NATIONAL CANON COMPANY, INC. TTpli|
30 East 42nd Street. New York 17, N. Y? |4fl 9 |i J|1 I k M
<** * Omtmm GmUd, ?* Cmr*mm C n mm J ^ ^ J | ^ J 1
fro ????KSKESHMHB
-a ... gteag
? 'W*2