Even those who were in fact loyal naturally became
suspect, and could not well be employed in responsible posts, any more
than Germans could in England during the war. The native Russians who
had technical or business skill were little better; they almost all
practised sabotage in the first period of the Bolshevik regime. One
hears amusing stories of common sailors frantically struggling with
complicated accounts, because no competent accountant would work for
the Bolsheviks.
But those days passed. When the Government was seen to be stable, a
great many of those who had formerly sabotaged it became willing to
accept posts under it, and are now in fact so employed, often at quite
exceptional salaries. Their importance is thoroughly realized. One
resolution at the above-mentioned Congress says (I quote verbally the
unedited document which was given to us in Moscow):
Being of opinion that without a scientific organization of
industry, even the widest application of compulsory labour
service, as the great labour heroism of the working class,
will not only fail to secure the establishment of a powerful
socialist production, but will also fail to assist the country
to free itself from the clutches of poverty--the Congress
considers it imperative to register all able specialists of
the various departments of public economy and widely to
utilize them for the purpose of industrial organization.
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