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Show POWER, OFFICE, NOT WEALTH, THE COAL IN RUSSIA The ambition which under a different differ-ent system might find expression in acquiring a personal 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 oilers to men who rise high in the helrarchy of political and Industrial administrators the equally strong Incentive In-centive of power, accompanied by a standard of living which, though modest by comparison w-ith what a rich mn 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 accustomed 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 use of a motor car, the right to eat in a good restaurant at a nominal charge, admission to the best rest homes and sanatoria, a private car for travel on the railroads and other advantages. These things are valuable In Russia Rus-sia just because there Is such a general gen-eral shortage of what would be regarded re-garded elsewhere as normal food, housing and transportation accommodations. accom-modations. W. U. Chamberlin Id Current History. |