OCR Text |
Show POWER, OFFICE, NOT WEALTH, THE GOAL IN RUSSIA The ambition which under a different differ-ent system might find expression In acquiring a persona fortune can find an outlet In the Soviet Union onl$ through advancement In the service of the omnipotent state. Instead of the stimulus to accumulate accumu-late private wealth, the Soviet system offers to men who rise high In the helrnrchy of political and Industrial administrators the equally strong Incentive In-centive of power, accompanied by a standard of living which, though modest by comparison with what a rich man of luxurious tastes can enjoy en-joy In western Europe and America is still far above the bleak Soviet average. To a foreigner who is aeenstomed to think of the Soviet ruble as worth about 2 cents a Soviet high official or "captain of Industry" receives a moderate mod-erate salary which may seem ridiculously ridicu-lously small, but his position Is something some-thing like that of an army officer In many other countries. The salary Is, Indeed, small, but the perquisites of office provide numerous nu-merous compensations. An Important Impor-tant post In the Soviet Union carries with It a comfortable apartment, the nse of a motor car, the right to ent In a good restaurant at a nominal charge, admission to the best rest homes and sanntorin, a private car for travel on the railroads and otier advantages. These things are valuable tn Rtjb-sla Rtjb-sla just because there Is such a general gen-eral shortage of what would be regarded re-garded elsewhere as normal fool, housing and transportation accommodations. accom-modations. W. H. Chamberlla In Current History. |