Page:Michael Farbman - Russia & the Struggle for Peace (1918).djvu/58

 46 and financial bankruptcy, the Government must immediately undertake a most energetic State control of production and distribution. It must introduce a new system of financial measures to prevent the further depreciation of the value of the rouble. And a larger share of the financial burden must be shifted on to the shoulders of the propertied classes.

The Soviet programme then emphasises the necessity of State monopoly in certain branches of industry, such as grain, meat, salt and leather. In other branches, such as coal and petroleum, metals, sugar and paper, combines are to be formed under State control. And throughout the whole of industry there must be State control and State distribution of fuel and raw materials, coupled with a fixation of prices. A maximum output is demanded, particularly a control of supplies in munitions, and an increase of the supplies for the civil population. There must be State control and a rational distribution of the resources of the country in labour. All workers who are needed for the important industries must be combed-out from the army, but there must also be a drastic revision of the lists of exemption in order not to deplete the army. Energetic measures are demanded against idleness and social parasitism.

The financial measures of the Soviet are based on the demand for a proportional increase in income-tax and death duties, for a heavy taxation of war-profits and unearned increment, for taxation of luxuries and for a levy on capital. In order to set capital free for war loans and State needs, speculations in land are to be prohibited. And, in the event of these measures being inadequate, the need of compulsory loans is foreseen.

In the concluding sentences the Soviet once more expresses its realisation of the great difficulties which confront the country:

"It is enormously difficult to begin the struggle against economic disintegration in the 35th month of the war, which has exhausted all the economic forces of the nation. But the more difficult this task, the greater