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that the complete process is carried out in one place； consequently saving
transport。 There are twenty…three complete groups of this kind； and in
the textile industry generally about fifty groups in all。
There has been a similar concentration of control。 In the old days
there were hundreds of different competitive firms with their buildings and
offices in the Ilyinka； the Varvarka； and the Nikolskaya。* ＇（*）Streets and
a district in Moscow＇ The Chinese town* ＇（*） See above。＇was a mass of
little offices of different textile firms。 The whole of that mass of
struggling competitive units of direction had now been concentrated in the
house in which we were talking。 The control of the workers had been
carried through in such a way that the technical experts had proper weight。
（See p。 171。） There were periodical conferences of elected representatives
of all the factories； and Nogin believed that the system of combined
elective workmen's and appointed experts' representation could hardly be
improved upon。
Nationalization had had the effect of standardizing the output。
Formerly； an infinite variety of slightly different stuffs were produced； the
variations being often merely for the sake of being different in the
competitive trade。 Useless varieties had now been done away with； with
the result of greater economy in production。
I asked what he could tell me about their difficulties in the matter of
raw material。 He said they no longer get anything from America； and
while the railway was cut at Orenburg by the Cossacks； they naturally
could get no cotton from Turkestan。 In fact； last autumn they had
calculated that they had only enough material to keep the factories going
until December。 Now they found they could certainly keep going to the
end of March； and probably longer。 Many small factories； wishing to
make their cases out worse than they were； had under…estimated their
stocks。 Here； as in other things； the isolation of the revolution had the
effect of teaching the Russians that they were less dependent upon the
outside world than they had been in the habit of supposing。 He asked me if
I knew it had been considered impossible to combine flax and cotton in
such a way that the mixture could be worked in machines intended for
cotton only。 They had an infinite supply of flax； much of which in the old
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RUSSIA IN 1919
days had been exported。 Investigations carried on for the Centro…Textile
by two professors； the brothers Chilikin； had ended in the discovery of
three different processes for the cottonizing of flax in such a way that they
could now mix not only a small percentage of their flax with cotton and
use the old machines； but were actually using fifty per cent。 flax and had
already produced material experimentally with as much as seventy…five
per cent。
（Some days later two young technicians from the Centro…Textile
brought me a neatly prepared set of specimens illustrating these new
processes and asked me to bring them anything of the same sort from
England in return。 They were not Bolshevikswere； in fact； typical non…
politicals。 They were pleased with what the CentroTextile was doing；
and said that more encouragement was given to research than ever
formerly。 But they were very despondent about the economic position。
I could not make them understand why Russia was isolated； and that I
might be unable to bring them technical books from England。）
Nogin rather boastfully said that the western linen industry would
suffer from the isolation of Russia； whereas in the long run the Russians
would be able to do without the rest of the world。 With； regard to wool；
they would have no difficulty now that they were again united with a
friendly Ukraine。 The silk industry was to be developed in the Astrakhan
district where climatic conditions are particularly favourable。
I asked about the fate of the old textile manufacturers and was told
that though many had gone abroad many were working in the nationalized
factories。 The engineering staff； which mostly struck work at the
beginning of the revolution； had almost without exception returned； the
younger engineers in particular realizing the new possibilities opening
before the industry； the continual need of new improvements； and the
immediate welcome given to originality of any kind。 Apart from the
question of food； which was bad for everybody； the social standard of the
workers had risen。 Thus one of their immediate difficulties was the
provision of proper houses。 The capitalists and manufacturers kept the
workers in barracks。 〃Now…a…days the men want better dwellings and we
mean to give them better。 Some have moved into the old houses of the
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RUSSIA IN 1919
owners and manufacturers； but of course there are not enough of these to
go round； and we have extensive plans in the way of building villages and
garden cities for the workmen。〃
I asked Nogin what； in his opinion； was most needed by Russia from
abroad； and he said that as far as the textile industries were concerned they
wanted machinery。 Like every one else to whom I put this question； he
said that every industry in Russia would be in a better position if only they
had more locomotives。 〃Some of our factories are stopping now for lack
of fuel； and at Saratov； for example； we have masses of raw material
which we are unable to get to Moscow。〃
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RUSSIA IN 1919
MODIFICATION IN THE
AGRARIAN PROGRAMME
In the afternoon I met Sereda； the Commissar of Agriculture。 He
insisted that the agrarian policy had been much misrepresented by their
enemies for the purposes of agitation。 They had no intention of any such
idiocy as the attempt to force the peasants to give up private ownership。
The establishment of communes was not to be compulsory in any way； it
was to be an