CHAPTER XIII 
THE JOINT COMMITTEE OF THE UNIONS OF 
ZEMSTVOS AND OF TOWNS FOR THE 
SUPPLY OF MILITARY EQUIPMENT 
AND MUNITIONS 
Origins. 
THE joint committee of the Unions of Zemstvos and of Towns was 
known in Russia by its abbreviated designation of “Zemgor,” a com- 
bination of the two first syllables of the words zemstvo and gorod 
{gorod meaning town). The origin of the committee, as has been 
noted previously, dates from the time when the defeats suffered by 
the Russian troops in Galicia and Poland “opened everybody’s eyes 
to the inadequacy of the technical equipment of the Russian army. 
The whole nation was thereupon inspired with desire to come to the 
aid of the army, which was suffering defeat because of the lack of 
shells and other munitions . . . the public clamor for the reorgani- 
zation of supply became irresistible and the Government had to 
make concessions.’ 
On May 26, 1915, the ninth congress of representatives of com- 
merce and industry met at Petrograd. Laying aside all professional 
interests, this body expressed itself emphatically in favor of an im- 
mediate mobilization of Russian industry and of its adaptation to 
war needs. This decision took concrete form in the organization of 
the so-called war industries committees. In addition to the merchants 
and manufacturers, scientists and experts were enlisted in the work 
of these committees, besides representatives of railways and steam- 
ship companies, of labor and of the two unions. A joint meeting of 
the Central Committee of the Unions of Zemstvos and of Towns sent 
its greetings to the permanent council of the congress of commerce 
and industry, welcoming its decision. It also resolved to summon on 
June 5 meetings to be held simultaneously by representatives of 
zemstvos and towns for the purpose of discussing the problems of 
military supplies. Both these meetings frankly told the Government 
many bitter truths, but they recognized at the same time the abso- 
* Izvestia (Bulletin) of the Zemgor, No. 1, p. 5.