a sort of cotton cloth from flax, of which
Nogin and his friends are very proud, has
enabled the clothing stores to place a variety
of such goods on sale for women and men.
Therefore in one more instance the Bolsheviks
are demonstrating that Socialism, in spite of
red ties and trilby hats in England, does not
mean that everybody shall wear standard suits
or anything else so stupid. I would like to
stress the fact that though shops are closed,
these big central stores are at all times very
busy, that the chiefs as well as their subordinates are kept well occupied, and that being a
servant of the Soviet Government means having
plenty of work to do. The volume of necessary business in Russia is still very considerable,
but is better organised. All the useless
competitive labour associated with trade
and commerce here and elsewhere is gradually
being eliminated. Once peace is secured, all
the problems which now perplex friend and
foe will be cleared away.
There can be no doubt of the fact that even now, with all the coercion, misery and suffering, there is a better, more equal distribution of the necessaries of life than ever before. It is of small importance whether shops are open or shut except in so far as in either case they affect the equitable distribution of the things needed by the people. The Nevsky Prospect, with its rows of fine shops, now nearly all
