and Industry. His contention was that too little attention is paid in Russia to these two most important sides of the economic life of the country. As a proof of this he pointed out the fact that despite its very short period of existence the Ministry has already had eight heads, none of whom has been a specialist in his field. He quoted the present Minister as saying at the last Congress of Representatives of Commerce and Industry, "When I received the first intimation of my possible appointment, I began to think of the questions of industry and commerce." According to Bublikov, such a statement is very typical of the kind of men that Russia has had at the head of this Ministry.
The Douma decided to accept the proposed budget as presented by the Budget Committee and to make the following proposals: To develop the system of trade schools in the country; to help the development of Russian industry by improving the conditions, of labor; to take measures against the activity of syndicates supported by banks; to introduce a system of stricter regulations in the matter of granting patents to the subjects of countries now at war with Russia; and to prevent German and Austrian subjects and their representatives from taking undue advantage, after the War, of the patent privileges which they already enjoy.
