1236
RUSSIA
machinery was cither entirely lacking or inadequate for coping with the immense task of setting up a public organisation of industry. To remedy the situation and introduce a greater unity and efficiency of method the Soviet Government issued a decree, dated June 28, 1918, which specified the conditions governing the natioualisitiou of private enterprises. Thus, only large and well-equipped factories and works were to be taken over by the State, the smaller undertakings being left in the hands of their owners. But even those liable to nationalisation were not to be taken over until a proper organisation for running them had been established. On April 1, 1920, out of 6,775 industrial establishments on the territory of Soviet Russia, employing 1,185,542 workpeople, there had been nationalised 4,141, employing- 983, 049 workpeople.
The industrial organisation of Soviet Russia is as follows : The highest economic authority in the country is the Supreme Economic Council, which includes representatives of the Central Executive Committee (i.e., the Government), trade unions, and various economic bodies, and consists of an executive of 11 members and about 50 departments. The subordinate organs are of two kinds. First, there are the Provincial and District Economic Councils, constituted similarly to the Supreme Council, and acting, except in the cases of small enterprises of local importance, as its executive organs. Secondly, there are Central Boards (called 'Centres' or Glavks) for each brinch of industry, which also have their Government and district oigans. A further sub-division of the Central Boards are the Syndicate (Kustuvy) Boards, which represent groups of undertakings of the same kind, such as machine-buildiDg works, aeroplane factories, motor-car works, chemical factories, electrical works, &c. The year's programme of pro- duction is worked out by the Supreme Council, which also finances the undertakings and controls the distribution of products. The Central and Factory Boards have the charge of and manage the undertakings according to the plans approved by the Supreme Council.
For statistics regarding industry in Russia for the period prior to the revolution, sec The Statesman's Year Book for 1920, p. 1207.
Russia ranks third among the fish and deep-sea food-producing countries of the world. The total yield offish amounted in 1914 to about 996,500,000 pounds (as against 1,292,500 in 1913).
Commerce.
The following table gives the exports and imports of Russia for six years in the trade with Europe, Asia, and Finland (bullion not included), in millions of roubles : —
After three years, in which there was no foreigu trade, Russia's trade began again early in 1920, following the conclusion of peace with Esthonia. The principal exports were agricultural machinery, railway spare parts, drugs, cloth, and foodstuffs. The principal imports were timber, flax, hemp, and platinum.
A Trade Agreement between the British Government and the Govern- ment of Soviet Russia was sigaed on March 16, 1921.
