ASSISTANCE TO FARMING 147 
a rule, were inclined to stress the needs of the peasantry, not infre- 
quently maintained that “to hand over to the soldiers’ wives money 
for the payment of wages to hired labor means simply an increase 
in their separation allowances, because they cannot find any hired 
labor, and the money will be devoted to some other purpose.” 
Public Initiative. 
The most important activity of the zemstvos and of the Zemstvo 
Union, however, centered elsewhere. Just as in other fields, so like- 
wise in agricultural life, the zemstvos became partly the initiators of 
the various enterprises and partly the centers, around which public 
initiative was able to rally. Where there were no zemstvos, or where 
they were inactive or indolent, relief was either not granted to all 
or, if granted, was inadequate. It may be said confidently, however, 
that this was unusual. In the overwhelming majority of cases relief 
was granted where there was actual want, and this not only by the 
relatives and nearest neighbors, but frequently by the combined ef- 
forts of the entire village community. In many places the zemstvos 
addressed appeals to the population of entire districts. Realizing 
that the printed page would reach the peasants very slowly, the 
zemstvos endeavored to influence them by means of those numerous 
small organizations which we have mentioned above, as well as 
through the various zemstvo workers whose business it was to keep 
in constant touch with the peasantry. Some of the zemstvos confined 
themselves to appealing and organizing; others promised to do 
everything possible to secure the proper direction of the relief work, 
and still others made their help dependent upon public support. 
Thus, the Moscow district zemstvo assembly attached to the grant 
of allowances certain conditions which were stated in an announce- 
ment, 2,000 copies of which were distributed among the volost offi- 
clals, codperative societies, zemstvo relief committees, and agronomic 
experts; the announcement declared that relief would be granted in 
amounts not exceeding two-thirds of the total sum required and that 
the balance would have to be raised by local organizations either 
from their own resources or by voluntary donations; it was pro- 
vided, further, that the participation of the peasants in relief work 
by personal service was to be counted as equivalent to a cash con- 
tribution.? | 
® Izvestia (Bulletin), No. 21, p. 60.