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important as part of that organization of human will with which the
Communists are attempting to arrest the steady progress of Russia's
economic ruin。 Putting it brutally； so as to offend Trades Unionists and
Communists alike； they are an important part of the Communist system of
internal propaganda； and their whole organization acts as a gigantic
megaphone through which the Communist Party makes known its fears；
its hopes and its decisions to the great masses of the industrial workers。
THE PROPAGANDA TRAINS
When I crossed the Russian front in October； 1919； the first thing I
noticed in peasants' cottages； in the villages； in the little town where I took
the railway to Moscow； in every railway station along the line； was the
elaborate pictorial propaganda concerned with the war。 There were
posters showing Denizen standing straddle over Russia's coal； while the
factory chimneys were smokeless and the engines idle in the yards； with
the simplest wording to show why it was necessary to beat Denizen in
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THE CRISIS IN RUSSIA
order to get coal； there were posters illustrating the treatment of the
peasants by the Whites； posters against desertion； posters illustrating the
Russian struggle against the rest of the world； showing a workman； a
peasant； a sailor and a soldier fighting in self…defence against an enormous
Capitalistic Hydra。 There were also…and this I took as a sign of what
might be…posters encouraging the sowing of corn； and posters explaining
in simple pictures improved methods of agriculture。 Our own recruiting
propaganda during the war；
good as that was； was never developed to such a point of excellence；
and knowing the general slowness with which the Russian centre reacts on
its periphery； I was amazed not only at the actual posters； but at their
efficient distribution thus far from Moscow。
I have had an opportunity of seeing two of the propaganda trains； the
object of which is to reduce the size of Russia politically by bringing
Moscow to the front and to the out of the way districts； and so to lessen
the difficulty of obtaining that general unity of purpose which it is the
object of propaganda to produce。 The fact that there is some hope that in
the near future the whole of this apparatus may be turned over to the
propaganda of industry makes it perhaps worth while to describe these
trains in detail。
Russia； for purposes of this internal propaganda； is divided into five
sections； and each section has its own train； prepared for the particular
political needs of the section it serves； bearing its own name； carrying its
regular crew…a propaganda unit； as corporate as the crew of a ship。 The
five trains at present in existence are the 〃Lenin；〃 the 〃Sverdlov；〃 the
〃October Revolution；〃 the 〃Red East；〃 which is now in Turkestan； and the
〃Red Cossack；〃 which； ready to start for Rostov and the Don； was
standing； in the sidings at the Kursk station； together with the 〃Lenin；〃
returned for refitting and painting。
Burov； the organizer of these trains； a ruddy； enthusiastic little man in
patched leather coat and breeches； took a party of foreigners…a Swede； a
Norwegian； two Czechs； a German and myself to visit his trains； together
with Radek； in the hope that Radek would induce Lenin to visit them； in
which case Lenin would be kinematographed for the delight of the
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THE CRISIS IN RUSSIA
villagers； and possibly the Central Committee would； if Lenin were
interested； lend them more lively support。
We walked along the 〃Lenin〃 first； at Burov's special request。
Burov； it seems； has only recently escaped from what he considered a
bitter affliction due to the Department of Proletarian Culture； who； in the
beginning； for the
decoration of his trains； had delivered him bound hand and foot to a
number of Futurists。 For that reason he wanted us to see the 〃Lenin〃 first；
in order that we might compare it with the result of his emancipation； the
〃Red Cossack；〃 painted when the artists 〃had been brought under proper
control。〃 The 〃Lenin〃 had been painted a year and a half ago； when； as
fading hoarding in the streets of Moscow still testify； revolutionary art was
dominated by the Futurist movement。 Every carriage is decorated with
most striking but not very comprehensible pictures in the brightest colors；
and the proletariat was called upon to enjoy what the pre…revolutionary
artistic public had for the most part failed to understand。 Its pictures are
〃art for art's sake；〃 and cannot have done more than astonish； and perhaps
terrify； the peasants and the workmen of the country towns who had the
luck to see them。 The 〃Red Cossack〃 is quite different。 As Burov put it
with deep satisfaction； 〃At first we were in the artists' hands； and now the
artists are in our hands；〃 a sentence suggesting the most horrible
possibilities of official art under socialism； although； of course； bad art
flourishes pretty well even under other systems。
I inquired exactly how Burov and his friends kept the artists in the
right way； and received the fullest explanation。 The political section of
the organization works out the main idea and aim for each picture； which
covers the whole side of a wagon。 This idea is then submitted to a
〃collective〃 of artists； who are jointly responsible for its realization in
paint。 The artists compete with each other for a prize which is awarded
for the best design； the judges being the artists themselves。 It is the art of
the poster； art with a purpose of the most definite kind。 The result is
sometimes amusing； interesting； startling； but； whatever else it does；
hammers home a plain idea。
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