The provision of other foodstuffs and forage is also increasing. In 1919 there was provided about 6,000,000 poods of meat, whilst the levy for 1920 was fixed at 24,000,000 and one can see already that the supply will exceed that of the previous year. The provision of potatoes during the season of 1919–1919 was 28,000,000 poods, and during the season 1919–20 43,000,000 were obtained. In 1919 the Government obtained 100,000 poods of fats,—that is, butter and bacon fat,—whilst in the course of the first eight months of 1920 the figure reached 820,000 poods. In 1918 27,000,000 poods of hay was stored; in 1919 the figure was 78,000,000. In spite of the drought and the bad crop this year, the quantity of hay to be stored this year will not be less than of last year.
The peasant might ask us: what is the use of this increase? It only means that you are taking from the peasants ever more and more, giving them nothing in return except debased paper currency?
The point is worth while considering.
The Soviet Government gave the peasants the land of the nobility. They have received in all 35,000,000 dessiatins of private land. In comparison with the imposts and taxes collected from them by the Government of the Tsar, the rent they paid to the landlords, the profits derived from them by the intermediaries, dealers, and usurers, the levies imposed by the Soviet Government are insignificant. Before the war the receipts of the Government of the Tsar amounted to 3,000,000,000 of gold roubles per annum. Half of this was taken by the Tsar from the peasants.
