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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 another
 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 supply
 of such articles. It was important either to insist that these authorities
 should do something quickly, or to assume the entire burden
 of procuring the necessary articles for the population of both
town and country through the zemstvos. At the outset many zemstvos
 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 encouraging
 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, attended
 to the local distribution of the commodities, and obtained
large loans to enable them to buy the goods supplied by the zemstvos.
 In some places, where the codperative movement was still unjeveloped,
 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 condition
 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