THE CAUSES OF FAMINE IN RUSSIA 51
the lack of all control over the actual carrying out of decrees
and orders.
The article further describes the desperate attempts made
in 1933 to render the whole apparatus efficient: "With the
assistance of the political sections, we ejected tens of thousands
of people from the agricultural bodies, the tractor and motor
stations and the accountancy department, etc." Yet the paper
is forced to admit that "all this does not suffice: new and better
officials must be found." This is in fact the cardinal task
now facing Moscow; to fulfil it (as explained elsewhere) the
authorities have reserved for themselves, in conflict with the
most important principles of the whole Soviet system,
the right to confirm the new officials in their posts, or rather
to appoint them.
Daily the cry grows louder for an entire renewal of the
Soviet system by the introduction of a new and responsible or,
as the press puts it, a "concrete" staff. It has been recognized
that the irresponsibility and lack of interest of the Soviet
officials are a cancer in the body politic. The call, therefore, is
now for the abolition of the colleges, committees, etc., whose
functions are to be taken over by responsible individuals. In
this respect the decree issued on March 16, 1934, relating to
steps for the organization of the Soviet economic system, is
highly characteristic* The People's Commissaries and the
heads of various important organizations are requested to
liquidate the colleges within a fortnight. A variety of other
decrees—e.g. that relating to the reorganization of water
transport—echo this demand. In short, great efforts are being
made to put men with a sense of responsibility—the type
exterminated in previous years—in the place of the colleges,
commissions, etc. In a time of acute crisis and demoralization
a complete change in the system of collective institutions,
hitherto described as the ideal, is demanded; at a day's notice
men of initiative and interest in their work, and above all
with a sense of responsibility, are to take the place of the