t for military-medical supplies and 1 for side-arms. The figures of their 
porduction, when taking into consideration the time required for bringing 
out certain manufactures as compared with the model factories of some 
other countries, tend to show that the technical backwardness of the Soviet 
military industry is no longer as great as is usually assumed. The weakest 
part of this industry is the automobile manufactory, and the building of 
some parts of aeroplanes; the construction of the aeroplanes themselves 
is, however, in a greater state of perfection, though, in comparison with 
other great countries, the Soviet aviation is still rather weak. 
In order to convey some idea of the Governments aspirations and of its 
opinion of the comparative importance of the different branches of the 
various industries, we might point to the military chemical and aviation 
industries, where strenuous work is being done. In chemistry, the work 
is naturally carried out unobtrusively and does not attract general attention; 
but the great progress of the “Dobrochim’ (association of the friends of 
chemical defence), headed by eminent specialists of pre-war time, is In 
itself a significant augury. The above mentioned figures showing the number 
of aeroplane factories and of the planes already in existence in the Red 
Army, when compared with the respective figures from the time of the 
Great War, go to show that in Russia the same as in other countries, 
feverish work is being done to make amends for the enormous defi- 
ciencies still existing in the air-force. 
III. 
In summarising the above elucidated description of the Red Army, one 
comes to the conclusion that it has a finished and harmonious organisation 
on paper, but it is doubtful whether all that which is undertaken, is fully 
accomplished, and whether all the conditions indispensable from a military 
point of view are observed. As has already been pointed out, the staff of 
commanders is weak; much time, instead of being devoted to military 
training, is spent on instructing the troops politically, and it is evident that 
the training of the army suffers under these conditions. 
The Government is aware of the present state of affairs, and is trying 
to round off the edges as far as possible completing the training of the 
troops by spreading military knowledge among the population by means 
of the press, and by founding different circles for self-education and 
military associations, etc., but these palliatives can evidently not replace the 
military training. If to this the low condition of technical equipment in the 
Army is added, we shall have to acknowledge that on the whole the mili- 
tary preparedness of the Red Army is not of a high standard, and at all 
events much inferior to that of the armies of Russia's western neichbours. 
DIR