and to provide corn for sowing in the following spring. In November 1902 M. de Plehve published a report on the famine of 1900-1, which had shown how large a proportion of the agricultural population were existing in a state only just above the starvation limit. He hinted at various measures of reform which were necessary, but the chief scheme which he described was the formation of large reserves of grain in the hands of the State, to be used in case of famines. The other reforms indicated were probably those contained in the Tsar's Manifesto of 1903, the most important point in which was the abolition of the collective responsibility of the peasants for taxes.1

The deficiency of the State assistance is to some extent made up by a semi-official organisation, the Red Cross Society. This Society is under the protection of the Tsarina, and possesses a widespread organisation in every government, the committees of management of the government, division, and district sitting under the presidency of the chief local authority in each case. Whilst the funds of the Red Cross Society consist entirely of voluntary contributions, its constitution and management are thus purely official, and the Society is spoken of amongst the people as the "Department for Charity." Its agents are all paid, but those actually engaged in distributing relief, who often consist of male and female medical students, priests, sisters of mercy, etc., receive very small stipends, and in many cases have to undertake an appalling amount of work in the famine villages. The relief dispensed by this Society is intended in the first instance for those who are not members of the village community, and therefore not entitled to the State assistance, secondly for children of school age, and thirdly for the sufferers from scurvy. The chief means adopted are the provision of dining-rooms and bake

1 Lehmann und Parvus, "Das hungernde Russland," pp. 298-415, 422-3. Schulze-Gävernitz, "Volks. Studien aus Russland," pp. 338-91. November 10th, 1902.

Globe,

houses, the distribution of medicines, erection O hospitals, and the organisation of relief works. An immense amount of money is spent in these ways, and much good done, but the means are still inadequate to cope with the total amount of destitution. The bread and other food is distributed free to those who are quite destitute, and sold at very low rates in other cases.

In addition to food and medicine for the people, the Red Cross Society has also undertaken since 1893 to provide fodder for the horses and cattle, and wood for fuel, both of which are sold to the peasants at very moderate prices, and eagerly bought so long as there is any money left. Although complaints are made as to the manner in which the relief is distributed in some districts, this seems only to apply to certain local committees and administrators, and is far from being always the case. As, however, the funds of the Society are too small to provide sufficient, or sufficiently nourishing, food for all who require it, or to deal with all those suffering from typhus or scurvy in times of famine, while its official character renders its modes of operation somewhat inelastic, there is in addition abundant scope for private and voluntary charity, and on the occasion of each severe famine efforts have been made on a scale eminently creditable to the benevolence of the Russian public. Unfortunately the promoters have in some cases been associated with political propaganda, and have therefore incurred the suspicion of the Government, so that in 1898 all the dining-rooms, bakeries, etc., were obliged to submit to Government control, although in 1891 and 1892 there was no such regulation. In November 1900 the Red Cross Society opened some scores of free-dinner kitchens over a vast area in the governments of Bessarabia and Kherson, on the understanding that the local government boards would come to the assistance of the famine-stricken districts at the end of March. In consequence of the unusually severe and

long winter, however, it was found necessary to continue the free dinners until the end of April, on a scale even larger than that originally intended, and the local committee was obliged to raise a loan for the purpose. At this time there did not appear to be any friction between the Government authorities and the Red Cross Society.1

1 Lehmann und Parvus, "Das hungernde Russland," pp. 427-32. Schulze-Gävernitz, "Volks. Studien aus Russland," pp. 391-9. Times, November 1st, 1898; March 25th, 1901.

CHAPTER III

INDUSTRY

1. Historical Sketch: (a) Origin of Industrial Development; (b) Proprieta Factories; (c) Nobles' Factories; (d) Capitalist Factories.-2. Prese Industrial Position: (a) Modern Development; (b) Obstacles to Develo ment.-3. Cotton Trade and other Textiles.-4. Mines and Met Trades: (a) Coal; (b) Naphtha; (c) Iron; (d) Other Mineral (e) Mechanical Engineering and other Metal Trades.-5. Other I dustries: (a) Sugar; (b) Wood; (c) Leather, etc.; (d) Fisheries.— Recent Industrial Crisis. — 7. Kustari," or Cottage Industrie (a) Peasant Industries; (b) Jews in Industry.-8. Conditions of Industri Population: (a) Existence of an Industrial Class; (b) History of Labo Legislation; (c) Wages and Hours; (d) Housing.

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1. HISTORICAL SKETCH OF INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMEN "NOTHING could be less spontaneous than th development of our manufacturing industries," is th verdict of a modern Russian author, who goes on t show how the recent rise of the most importan branches of industry has been in every case the resu of the prohibitive tariffs imposed upon articles in ported from abroad. In the same way a writer in th official report on Russia drawn up for the Russia section at the Paris Exhibition of 1900, attributes th present development of industry in the empire almo exclusively to the protectionist policy in which th Government has persevered during the last twent years. It is at least certain that the first introduction production on a large scale into Russia was due to th active policy of Peter the Great, and not to an natural growth. But whilst some Russian autho see in this "great industry thus artifically fostere