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THE ZEMSTVOS DURING THE WAR 
Measures Taken by the Zemstvos. 
Under these circumstances the zemstvos in nearly all provinces 
found themselves compelled to help the rural population to obtain 
commodities, such as sugar, kerosene, matches, soap, nails, steel and 
iron goods, textiles, and a variety of other articles. There was an- 
other reason why the zemstvos desired to undertake this work. In 
many district towns an acute scarcity was experienced in the most 
indispensable articles, but the authorities did not everywhere prove 
sufficiently enterprising to organize an independent system of sup- 
ply of such articles. It was important either to insist that these au- 
thorities should do something quickly, or to assume the entire bur- 
den of procuring the necessary articles for the population of both 
town and country through the zemstvos. At the outset many zem- 
stvos took a rather simple view of the high cost of living and of the 
way in which it ought to be combated. First of all they emphasized 
the importance of such methods as price regulation, prosecution of 
speculation, control of shopkeepers’ and traders’ stocks, requisitions, 
and measures to influence the banks, which were said to be encourag- 
ing speculation. Later, having lost confidence in the effectiveness of 
such measures, the zemstvos took the view that the campaign should 
be conducted not so much against the high prices as against the 
scarcity of commodities. The organization of wholesale purchases 
was now considered as the most important problem, and, in view of 
‘he vast reduction in the number of small traders, it was proposed 
to encourage cooperative societies. Accordingly, the representatives 
of the cobperative organizations were enlisted to take part in the 
campaign and in the discussions of plans and methods. They also 
investigated the requirements of each area within their district, at- 
tended to the local distribution of the commodities, and obtained 
large loans to enable them to buy the goods supplied by the zem- 
stvos. In some places, where the codperative movement was still un- 
jeveloped, the zemstvos went so far as to endeavor to organize co- 
»perative societies. At the same time they did not hesitate to utilize 
any other local distributing agencies; they also dealt with private 
merchants, although the latter were given assistance only on condi- 
tion that they agreed to submit to the supervision of the smaller 
volost organizations. The latter were known by various names, such 
as volost food councils, food committees, food subcommittees, control