These measures became possible already two years
after the end of the war, during which the fascist invaders
had inflicted untold misery and ruin on our country. This
fad is a demonstration to Ihe world of the vast forces
and internal potentialities at the disposal of the Soviet
Stale.
At the same time, following Ihe abolition of the ration
system, new tasks have arisen in all their urgency in the
sphere of Soviet trade, both in town and country. Every-
thing must be done to expand the production of consumer,
goods to the utmost, and to improve their quality and
assortment, and also to improve service to the consumers
by the trading organizations—both state and cooperative.
On the other hand, the favourable results of the cur-
rency reform can be ensured to the full only if we observe
the strictest economy in everything, do not tolerate extrav-
agance and take care of the Soviet pennies. Consciousness
of the importance of these simple duties has now penetrat-
ed to the broadest sections of the Soviet public.
This year has seen thd birth of a now patriotic move-
ment among the working masses—a movement for the
mobilization of internal reserves, for rendering our enter-
prises profitable and for accumulations in excess of plan.
In the first nine months of this year total economies above
plain resulting from reduction of production costs exceeded
4>000 million rubles. The competition which has developed
in this field permits us to hope that by the end of this
year total accumulations above plan will have increased by
at least 50 per cent. Competition in this field furthermore
leads to more efficient utilization of machines and of equip-
ment generally in the plants and facilitates better organi-
zation of production, which deserves the encouragement
of all our directing bodies. This is a movement which now
embraces many thousands of the country's plants and has
578'