The Plight of Russia

(Political, Economic, Historical, Biographical)

The Plight of Russia

RUSSIA AND PEACE -- By Fridtjof Nansen--Macmillan ($2.00). Certainly since the separation of Norway and Sweden in 1905, Fridtjof Nansen has been much in the public eye.* On his errands of mercy to Russia, he has had the opportunity to view and review the conditions under which that unhappy country has been existing for the past few years. The observations which he has made, and the information which he has gleaned, obviously from Soviet quarters, form the material for the book. Dr. Nansen has pictured, admittedly superficially, present-day Russia, her trade, financial, agricultural, industrial and educational situation. In each case he has striven to be fair to everyone. He has shown considerable sympathy with the Bolsheviki in their troubles, but he has not been blind to the viewpoints of outside persons.. Briefly he tells of the utter disintegration of finance, industry, commerce,, education, agriculture. He brings out, among other things, the fact that Russia was the largest wheat exporting country in the world before the War, and conjures the nations of Europe to help Russia in the interests of European rehabilitation and to forget, their political prejudices. In his fairness the author has damned! the Soviet regime about as effectually as any biased person could wish. From beginning to end, the book is one long tale of the economic ruin to which the Moscow Marxists have reduced Russia. For what purpose? Are the peasants, who form more than 80% of the population, better off? Dr. Nansen says no. They are still kept ignorant. The old system whereby the peasant was in some cases permitted to own land is done away with--all land belongs to the State. The State has a monopoly in foreign trade, the peasant sells at an absurd price to the Government and the Government profiteers outrageously. The author goes on to say-that there are fewer elementary schools-now than there were under the Tsarist regime, that there is a great increase in crime among children. And them there is the appalling spectacle of the: child-prostitute. In other words, the Bolsheviki have risked ruining Russia in order to put theories to the test. Now they are: trying to build up what they have destroyed, with worn-out tools. Dr. Nansen wants the world to help supply new tools, to help the Russian nation back to prosperity. He argues that it is impossible to see into the future by looking backwards.

* Fridtjof Nansen--scientist, author, explorer, public servant. On his North Pole expedition (1893-96), he reached the highest altitude then attained (86DEG 14'). He took an active part in separation of Norway and Sweden (1905). He represented Norway at the Court of St. James (1903-08). Recently he toured the U. S. (TIME, Nov. 5) speaking on behalf of Greek refugees in Asia Minor.