Russian local government during the war and the Union of Zemstvos

Bibliographic data

Monograph

Identifikator:: 1794855874

URN:: urn:nbn:de:zbw-retromon-179223

Document type:: Monograph

Author:: Polner, Tichon I. http://d-nb.info/gnd/172311195

Title:: Russian local government during the war and the Union of Zemstvos

Place of publication:: New Haven

Publisher:: Yale Univ. Press

Year of publication:: 1930

Scope:: XXV, 317 S.

Digitisation:: 2022

Collection:: Economics Books

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Chapter

Document type:: Monograph

Structure type:: Chapter

Title:: Chapter X. Participation of the Zemstvos in the work of supply

Collection:: Economics Books

ORGANIZATION OF SUPPLY 181 committees, trade commissions, etc. All of them were originally cre- ated for the relief of the wounded, families of mobilized men, and refugees. Other social groups, such as merchants and leaders of co- operative societies were now enlisted in the effort to keep down the cost of living. The nature of the organization was determined by local condi- tions. In some provinces only the provincial zemstvos did the buy- ing, leaving the distribution of the goods to the district zemstvos ; in other localities the entire operation was performed by the district zemstvo, while elsewhere certain commodities might be purchased either by the provincial zemstvo board or district zemstvo board, as was the case in the province of Yaroslav. Some volost organizations would investigate the demand within their area and distribute com- modities accordingly ; others would supervise the merchants engaged in the distribution, and still others would take part in the purchas- ing operations. Zemstvo organizations of a commercial character, such as warehouses for steel, iron, agricultural implements, and similar articles, were also used for this purpose, in such a way that headquarters would do the buying while the branches would attend to the distribution. A highly important part was also played by the zemstvo funds (banks), and in many places these institutions were given full charge of the purchasing operations. Financing Operations of Supply. The funds for the purchasing operations were provided in part by the zemstvos and in part by the Government, and, lastly, by the banks. The operations were conducted with a view to avoiding losses ; that is to say, goods were sold at cost price plus a charge for overhead expenses and interest on loans. Government loans were issued either in kind or in cash. Thus, from August 1, 1915, to May 17, 1917, the zemstvos received from the army stores of the Ministry of Agriculture, a total of 986,000 puds of rye, wheat, and flour, 492,000 puds of grits, and 3,196,000 puds of oats and barley, for distribution among the civilian popula- tion to be used partly as food and fodder and partly as seed. The funds advanced by the Government to the zemstvos likewise ran into very large sums. Until the autumn of 1915 these advances were made out of a special food supply fund already established before the War. After this source had been exhausted the Government al-

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