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districts where there is plenty。 （〃The opinion that； in the absence of these
preliminary conditions； it will be possible to draw workmen from the
villages by measures of compulsion or mobilization
is profoundly mistaken。〃） （4） that there should be a census of labor and
that the Trades Unions should be invited to protect the interests of the
conscripted。 Finally； this Conference approved the idea of using the
already existing military organization for carrying out a labor census of
the Red Army； and for the turning over to labor of parts of the army during
demobilization； but opposed the idea of giving the military organization
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the work of labor registration and industrial conscription in general。
On January 22； 1920； the Central Committee of the Communist Party；
after prolonged discussion of Trotsky's rough memorandum； finally
adopted and published a new edition of the 〃theses；〃 expanded； altered；
almost unrecognizable； a reasoned body of theory entirely different from
the bundle of arrows loosed at a venture by Trotsky。 They definitely
accepted the principle of industrial conscription； pointing out the
immediate reasons for it in the fact that Russia cannot look for much help
from without and must somehow or other help herself。
Long before the All…Russian Congress of the Communist Party
approved the theses of the Committee； one form of industrial conscription
was already being tested at work。 Very early in January； when the
discussion on the subject was at its height； the Soviet of the Third Army
addressed itself to the Council of Defense of the Republic with an
invitation to make use of this army （which at least for the moment had
finished its military task） and to experiment with it as a labor army。 The
Council of Defense agreed。 Representatives of the Commissariats of
Supply； Agriculture； Ways and Communications； Labor and the Supreme
Council of Public Economy were sent to assist the Army Soviet。 The
army was proudly re…named 〃The First Revolutionary Army of Labor；〃
and began to issue communiques from the Labor front；〃 precisely like the
communiques of an army in the field。 I translate as a curiosity the first
communique issued by a Labor Army's Soviet：
〃Wood prepared in the districts of Ishim； Karatulskaya； Omutinskaya；
Zavodoutovskaya； Yalutorovska； Iushaly； Kamuishlovo； Turinsk；
Altynai； Oshtchenkovo； Shadrinsk； 10；180 cubic sazhins。 Working days；
52；651。 Taken to the railway stations； 5；334 cubic sazhins。 Working
days on transport； 22；840。 One hundred carpenters detailed for the
Kizelovsk mines。 One hundred carpenters detailed for the bridge at Ufa。
One engineer specialist detailed to the Government Council of Public
Economy for repairing the mills of Chelyabinsk Government。 One
instructor accountant detailed for auditing the accounts of the economic
organizations of Kamuishlov。 Repair of locomotives procceding in the
works at Ekaterinburg。 January 20； 1920； midnight。〃
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THE CRISIS IN RUSSIA
The Labor Army's Soviet received a report on the state of the district
covered by the army with regard to supply and needed work。 By the end
of January it had already carried out a labor census of the army； and found
that it included over 50；000 laborers； of whom a considerable number
were skilled。 It decided on a general plan of work in reestablishing
industry in the Urals； which suffered severely during the Kolchak regime
and the ebb and flow of the civil war； and was considering a suggestion of
one of its members that if the scheme worked well the army should be
increased to 300；000 men by way of mobilization。
On January 23rd the Council of Defense of the Republic； encouraged
to proceed further； decided to make use of the Reserve Army for the
improvement of railway transport on the Moscow…Kazan railway； one of
the chief arteries between eastern food districts and Moscow。 The main
object is to be the reestablishment of through traffic between Moscow and
Ekaterinburg and the repair of the Kazan…Ekaterinburg line； which
particularly suffered during the war。 An attempt was to be made to
rebuild the bridge over the Kama River before the ice melts。 The
Commander of the Reserve Army was appointed Commissar of the eastern
part of the Moscow…Kazan railway； retaining his position as Commander
of the Army。 With a view of coordination between the Army Soviet and
the railway authorities； a member of the Soviet was also appointed
Commissar of the railway。 On January 25th it was announced that a
similar experiment was being made in the Ukraine。 A month before the
ice broke the first train
actually crossed the Kama River by the rebuilt bridge。
By April of this year the organization of industrial conscription had
gone far beyond the original labor armies。 A decree of February 5th had
created a Chief Labor Committee； consisting of five members；
Serebryakov and Danilov； from the Commissariat of War； Vasiliev； from
the Commissariat of the Interior； Anikst； from the Commissariat of Labor；
Dzerzhinsky； from the Commissariat of Internal Affairs。 Dzerzhinsky
was President； and his appointment was possibly made in the hope that the
reputation he had won as President of the Extraordinary Committee for
Fighting Counter…Revolution would frighten people into taking this
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Committee seriously。 Throughout the country in each government or
province similar committees； called 〃Troikas；〃 were created； each of three
members； one from the Commissariat of War； one from the Department of
Labor； one from the Department of