THE ZEMSTVOS DURING THE WAR 
Evacuation of Industrial Establishments from Localities 
Threatened by the Enemy. 
The Zemgor proposed to introduce some order and regularity of 
industry into the process of the evacuation for it was being carried 
out without system and was causing untold harm to the evacuated 
works. Through its representatives in the government commission 
in charge of evacuation, the Zemgor proposed that a definite system 
of recording and unloading evacuated machinery and material 
should be set up. With the aid of a special staff, the Zemgor com- 
piled careful lists and took charge of the unloading of machinery 
and other equipment arriving in the interior of the country. For 
consignments of which it was impossible to ascertain the ownership, 
it erected a special assembling factory where such equipment was 
repaired and generally made serviceable. It would then hand over 
the equipment to the establishments working for national defense. 
Inquiries by the agents of the Zemgor established the fact that 
some of the most valuable consignments, including expensive ma- 
chinery which could not be bought in Russia at any price, would 
often be scattered over a number of railway stations, sometimes at 
the most remote places, where they would be unloaded and aban- 
doned, without care or supervision. This led the Zemgor to take a 
more active part in the evacuation of industrial plants. On the one 
hand it was necessary to persuade the Government to introduce some 
system and order into the process and to assist it in its efforts in this 
direction. On the other hand everything possible had to be done to 
enable evacuated establishments to resume their interrupted opera- 
tions without avoidable delay or friction in the interior of the 
country. 
With this object in view, the Zemgor, through its local agents 
collected information concerning factory premises, that could be 
bought or leased. It inspected these premises and went so far as to 
consider the possibility of either buying or leasing sites in different 
towns that might be suitable for the erection of factory buildings. It 
also collected information with regard to machinery and equipment 
that was offered for sale. All such information was concentrated at 
Moscow and placed at the disposal of the Zemgor’s contractors 
working for the national defense and of the owners or managers of 
evacuated establishments.