RUSSIAN TRANSPORTATION. UNDER THE SOVIET.

Dunstan Times, Issue 3148, 18 December 1922, Page 7

RUSSIAN TRANSPORTATION. UNDER THE SOVIET.

Tlio deplorable condition of Russian 'transportation,, based on official Soviet figures, is shown by .1. Doniavat in the current. is*ue of L'Est Europcen (Warsaw, Poland). In vast Russia, which is chiefly colonial, good transportation is an essential. Prior to 1917 (the Revolution) 73,112 verbis of railroads wore in operation, 14,.'J87 under construction. The Soviet received (j;MS2 verstt* in nonnal ((■Russian) operation (i.e.. in some secItiioiiM, one mixed train every three to right (lays).

The Soviet divided the systems into three groups. The first (.'Jo per cent. efficient; the second! (15 per cent., or 10.000 rersts) feeder lines, not fully equipped; the third (45 per tent., or 28,000 versts) badly equipped and suspended entirely during the winter «f 1920-21.

A few express trains in section onoi were 12 to 15 hours late in inter. Freight trains decreased from '12,111 cars every 24 hours to 896H in September of the same year. Ihe previous mean-car movement daily wan 1o..'!0S: contrast 10.614 as the mean in 1921. This was due in part to decreased production of flour, grain, sugar and salt. Failure to replace sleepers lowered the speed of nine-tenths of the roads. In 1921 30,000.000 new sleepers were required, 7.000.000 laid. As ties lasthut seven years a 13 per cent, yearly replacement is required, yet hut 5 per .cent, were renewed. Of the 28.000,000 required for 1922 hut 15.000.000 could ■lio promised, to be supplied by private concerns lacking finances and proper facilities.

For railway superstructures but 2<S per cent, of the nece.ssa.ry materials were available in 1920. Railroad building (structures) was practically stopped in 1921 from lack of material; bridges destroyed during the war were only partially replaced, and those in a temporary manner. Single-tracking of double-track roads, removing rails from northern to southern roads, supplied souk.' rail deficiencies. In 1920 2.'59 versts of rails were furnished to cover 2910 vensts requiring new rails; ill 1921. 133 ior a requirement of 1921 (1 per cent, efficiency).

In'11)10. 20,000 locomotives wore in good condition and operation; in 1921 (autumn). l)Ut 2000 were operating. This was due to inability to make repairis from scarcity of material and skilled labor.

Tn October, 1921, of 24,942 passenger coaches 9890 damaged: a large number of the remainder were in the ■use for offices and houses of Soviet 'officials. Passengers travelled iiv freight •ears (28 per cent, of them absolutely useless). Out of 309,527 freight cars a maximum of 60,000 wore lit for grain transportation. Freight cars were •classed as (1) those practically whole. '(2) thosp with bodies damaged (used Uor crated goods), and (3) those with 'roofs broken, used for cheap merehan(dise.

Failure of the Supreme Council of 'Popular Economy to supply materials led the Commissariat of Communications, in 1922. to give it no more repair work of rolling stock, while stations. •■pumps, water towers are falling to jpioces—with no replacements. Previous to the war, wood was the fuel for two-thirds of the locomotives in 1918 sufficient reserves of seasoned wood exited, but in 1921 all was exhausted and green wood substituted. It had two defects—slight calorific value and great weight. In February, 1922, onlv one hour's supply ol wood' was available—in .March, but eight days. Wood was requisitioned from all territory within one-half kilometer of the railroads, as none could be .received bv water from a distance until autumn.' hack of fuel retired 2000 locomotives from service. Wood suppliesfell off 30 per cent, from 1921 figures. Coal was scanty and' of poor quality, due, to inefficient methods of production. Oil cannot be supplied through lack of tank ears: where available it cannot be utilised through absence of

proper burners. Constant change of fuel administration adds to all other difficulties. In March, 1922, but 29 per cent of the wood and' 22 per cent, of the coal necessary was available.

The horoscopes for 1922 on the question of fuel are not bright, especially as the actual deficit will surely surpass this theoretical forecast.

In 1913 the personnel was 12.3 per verst, in 1921 18.4. yet transportation, had fallen to one-third —while the personnel increased one and 1 a-half. The personnel bus been weakened by summary removals of the most expert officials' and workmen, Soviet hangers-on replacing them. Add to this the system of forced labor, non-payment of salaries (dating back to the previous November) in March, 1922, amounting to 14 trillions, 700 billions of Soviet roubles. Pillage of freight and smuggling by railway employees gave them fluids to sustain life.

No new men are being trained in railroading —a gloomy prospect for reconstruction and rehilitation of the roads.

" Thp above is but a part of the truth —immediate and radical improvement must take place if Russia is to recover.