288 HUMAN LIFE IN RUSSIA
Union." The Torgsin system enables the Soviet Government
to turn even their greatest enemies, the Russian emigrants
living abroad, to its owii financial advantage. Anyone who has
the opportunity of inspecting the archives of the great relief
organizations, and looks through the countless letters from
people in want, will realize clearly that the Torgsin transactions
are meant simply and solely to help those in want and even
starvation, and that there is no question of "presents" in the
ordinary sense of the word, as the slogan suggests. The fact
that the Torgsin system could reach such enormous dimensions
—it extends all over the world—is a further and irrefragable
proof that great numbers of people in the Soviet Union are
living in misery and starvation.
The development of the Torgsin system has necessitated
the creation of an organization which now extends over many
countries. All over the world there now exist organizations,
committees and private firms of a purely business character,
which co-operate very closely with the Soviet trade delegations.
If an American, Englishman, Dutchman or Jew wishes to send
a present to any relative or friend in Russia, and has paid in
the prescribed sum in foreign currency at one of the places
fixed for the purpose, the instructions are forwarded to Russia
and immediately carried out by the officials of one of the food
stores which exist in all parts of the Union. It is greatly in
Moscow's interest that the Torgsin machinery should work
swiftly and without friction, because there are agreements
between most of the relief organizations abroad and the Soviet
missions, according to which remittances are considered as
having been effective only when an acknowledgment is to hand
from the recipient of the supplies.
In so far as it helps individuals, even the Torgsin system is
to be approved. But as for its effect on the lot of the bulk oi
those in want and starvation, it must be emphasized that this
hdp which reaches a few elect does nothing to mitigate titu
sufferings of all the rest—indeed, it sometimes aggravates them