| Show SOVIET GRAIN POLICY CHANGE SEEN PENDING Opposition of Peasants Peasants- to 10 Gathering Cathering Plan Forces Alteration By fly FREDERICK KUll KUff World Copyright 1932 by U United Press Pres BERLIN Dec 26 Opposition 28 of of Russian peasants to the soviet governments government's gov gov gov- agrarian policy will force early abolition of grain collections I In an effort to help relieve th the food food shortage the writer was was advised today today to to- day by a Russian source generally considered reliable The Russian government has de elded to make this most important change since the new economic policy was WM laid down in 1921 by Lenin as a result of the highly accentuated peasant peasant peas peasant ant opposition This has thrown grain collections behind schedule despite despite de de- de- de spite pite a vigorous press campaign and md various made by the government in important grain producing producing pro pro- regions The change is so important tant that that Josef Stalin virtual soviet dictator will break an 18 months months' silence to enunciate the project personally personally per per- at an extraordinary session of the communist central committee the most Important official body in Russia A special s session slon of the central cen committee Is without precedent and the fact that Stalin will speak out indicates the Import importance nce o of the situation ABRUPT ABOUT FACE Bolshevik leaders were convinced of the necessity of an abrupt about face by events of the thel last three months in which peasants obstructed the government collections of grain sometimes by passive resistance and sometimes by sabotage Counterrevolutionary Counterrevolutionary Counter Counterrevolutionary revolutionary and bandit elements clements made it apparent that unless there was a change of policy the Ithe peasants might not plant enough next spring to feed the nation during 1933 and 1934 The government attempted to eliminate elim eUm nate the peasant resistance by executing executing exe exe- several score communists in North Caucasian villages during November November No No- vember and occasionally resorted toUte to Ute U requisitioning of grain Then it decided on a system of taxation in place of oC the collection method The tax will be a tax in iii kind based on acreage the size of farms arms and the number of cattle kept The new system economic tem tern will follow Lenins Lenin's new policy polley on general lines The central committee will meet January 5 and continue through January January Jan Jan- uary 8 to draft the decree which will put the plan in effect Obviously it will be the most important soviet development de de- de of recent years VICTORY VICTOR FOR FOE PEASANTS The new acreage tax means victory for the pea peasants ants Although it entails no departure from the collectivization a- a tion policy itself the tax will represent represent represent sent a a- a government concession to the peasants who opposed the arbitrary m manner of carrying Out grain thc col col- Peasants were dissatisfied because collections were made from st standing thus penalizing the growers growers- Moreover crops the methods of collection kept the peasant in a continual state of suspense because the governments government's agents after making one collection might return for fOl more Under the new acreage tax peasants peasants peasants peas peas- their plantIng planting plant plant- ants will be told before Ing the exact amount of tax to be demanded of them The government thus hopes hope to stimulate production and build up a surplus which may maybe maybe market at un un- the be sold on open n rl u s Stalin iniS Is expected to admit the dif difficulties dl- dl encountered In the national economic situation especially the food shortage shortage- The central committee commit commit- tee will consider the matter of abolishing abolishing abol abol- shine general cooperative stores Inthe Inthe in inthe the cities except those distributing rye rc bread Under such a ch change all retailing would be confined to stores on factory or office premises MUST CHECK PACE Russia's current difficulties of ties have convinced soviet leaders the necessity of retarding the pace of industrialization Measures have been taken to concentrate on the development development develop develop- ment meat of light industry engaged in producing merchandise for mass con con- gumption The central committee will consider using factories built under under under un un- un- un der the first year five f plan instead of building more The first year five-year plan scheduled to be completed in four years at the end of 1932 may maybe maybe maybe be extended another year thus interposing interposing in in- Inauguration Inauguration In In- a leap year before of the second year five-year plan Soviet leaders hope that the new acreage tax and the increase of production production pro pro- of goods for mass consumption tion coupled with reduced capital investment investment in in- vestment in industry will relieve the food shortage raise grain output and accelerate industrialization after the next harvest S |
