Russia's Economic Front for War and Peace

HERE is something unusual, if not unknown under the sun: a book on Soviet Russia that is not written in the tone either of uncritical eulogy or of bitter detraction. As a result, and because Mr. Yugow, a Russian by birth, is a trained and careful economist, one gets a picture of Soviet industry and agriculture and transportation and living conditions that approximates much closer to the probabilities of the ‘Russian enigma’ than the customary polemical effort, whether pro or con. What of industry, for instance? Mr. Yugow establishes that there has been an exceptionally high rate of quantitative growth during the three five-year plans, accompanied, however, by generally poor quality (except in the war industries), by grave disproportions of development in different fields, and by a heavy strain on the population. Agriculture? Collective farming, with larger agricultural units and more use of modern machinery, has technical advantages but has been accompanied by exploitation of the peasants and can only work out for their maximum benefit if it is transformed from a system of bureaucratic state control into one of free coöperation. Education? A nation-wide impulse to study, a great quantitative extension of school facilities; but ‘the quality of that education, its depth and character, give rise to grave doubts.’ All this makes very plausible sense and leaves an impression of Soviet Russia as a much more human and credible country than it seems after reading an exaggerated panegyric or an unmitigated indictment. And most Americans will share Mr. Yugow’s hope that the present war will end in freeing Russia both from German invasion and from the oppressive features of the present dictatorship.

W. H. C.

W. H. C. WILLIAM HENRY CHAMBERLIN

J. C. JOHN COURNOS

R. E. D. RICHARD ELY DANIELSON

W. F. WILSON FOLLETT

R. M. G. ROBERT M. GAY

E. S. ELLERY SEDGWICK