NOTES AND COMMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19255, 18 February 1926, Page 8

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

THE CIVIL SERVANTS OF RUSSIA. Discussing the more sympathetic attitude of the Soviet Government toward claims for repayment of pre-revolution debts, the Statist says that under the stress of economic impoverishment many decrees have been introduced allowing greater freedom to private trade and enterprise and readmitting foreign capitalists into Russia on terms not differing very widely from those obtaining in "capitalist" nations. Undoubtedly this evolution will continue. Even now it is becoming apparent that the influence of the large body of civil se'rvants that carry on the administration of the country is steadily growing. The present "chinovnik" classes in Russia include very large numbers of non-party men, even in the higher grades, whose sole aim is the progressive development of their country. Where the principles of commission stand in the way of ihat development—as they dp at nearly every turn—they will probably, in course of time, disappear under constant attrition. As the power of the non-party bureaucracy increases, so that of the extremist leaders must diminish. SOVIET'S SEARCH FOR CAPITAL. As to the question of n«w credits for Russia, the Statist remarks that for, the past two and a-half years—over 6ince the Soviet Union of to-day was established—the main energies of tha Russian leaders have been bent on the task of attracting foreign credits and capital. They have met with considerable success -considering the huge amount of outstanding (and repudiated) claims against Russia, while they have undoubtedly made immense strides in economic and financial recovery. Such credits as they have been able to obtain, however, have been mostly of a hand-to-mouth nature, being mainly credits for consumption. Of real productive capital they have obtained practically none, apart from that involved in the various mining and other concessions granted to foreign syndicates. Early last year the Soviet authorities appear to have calculated' that, even without the aid of foreign capital, the country could be brought up to full productive capacity in five years. That calculation, however, was based largely on the prospects, then existing, of a very bountiful harvest. The harvest outturn and movement have already fallen so far below expectations thai all estimates based thereon have had to Le drastically revised. This result, coupled with the blow to Tchitcherin's foreign policy dealt at Locarno, appears to have forced the Soviet authorities to attempt fresh negotiations with. the Western European Powers. PRODUCERS AND OTHERS. We are inclined to think that our times are altogether abnormal, but a study of history shows that our times have a parallel on many occasions in the life of England, says Mr. J. S. Highfield, in Engineering,, and in illustration quotes the Prince Regent's speech to Parliament on January 28, 1817, in which h-j spoke of "the distresses consequent upon the termination of a war of such unusual extent and duration" as having been felt with greater and less severity throughout all tha nations of Europe. "Just as the difficulties of those days were tackled, leading up to the great expansion of population, wealth and general prosperity of the time between 1860 and 1890, so will similar efforts to-day produce equal results," says Mr. Highfield. "I am inclined to think better results. I think there is a growing understanding of the relative values of different classes of work. I believe there is a better knowledge of the real importance, nay, the absolute necessity, of successful production of everything that may be grown, or won, or manufactured. Those engaged in these trades are the basis of all. The carriers, the railways and shipping and other forms of transport all depend on production. The services rendered by professional men, poets, musicians and others consist in the work they do to preserve liberty, to build up the general amenities of society, to clear the way and to sweeten all life for the busy population, but all depend on the work of tha producers. Consequently, the welfare of the producer should be the care of all. It should be the first business of government to see that the the man who ventures into the field of direct production has a fair chance to' succeed."