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tubes will be wanted every six months。 Now on the 15th of June the total
stock of tubes ready for use was 58；000； and the railways could not expect
to get more than another 13；000 in the near future。 Unless the factories
are able to do better （and their improvement depends on improvement in
transport）； railway repairs must again deteriorate； since the main source of
materials for it in Russia； namely the dead
engines； will presently be exhausted。
On this there is only one thing to be said。 If； whether because we do
not trade with them； or from some other cause； the Russians are unable to
proceed even in this first stage of their programme； it means an indefinite
postponement of the moment when Russia will be able to export anything；
and； consequently； that when at last we learn that we need Russia as a
market； she will be a market willing to receive gifts； but unable to pay for
anything at all。 And that is a state of affairs a great deal more serious to
ourselves than to the Russians； who can； after all； live by wandering about
their country and scratching the ground； whereas we depend on the sale of
our manufactured goods for the possibility of buying the food we cannot
grow ourselves。 If the Russians fail； their failure will affect not us alone。
It will； by depriving her of a market； lessen Germany's power of
recuperation； and consequently her power of fulfilling her engagements。
What； then； is to happen to France？ And； if we are to lose our market in
Russia； and find very much weakened markets in Germany and France； we
shall be faced with an ever…increasing burden of unemployment； with the
growth； in fact； of the very conditions in which alone we shall ourselves
be unable to recover from the war。 In such conditions； upheaval in
England would be possible； and； for the dispassionate observer； there is a
strange irony in the fact that the Communists desire that upheaval； and； at
the same time； desire a rebirth of the Russian market which would tend to
make that upheaval unlikely； while those who most fear upheaval are
precisely those who urge us； by making recovery in Russia impossible； to
improve the chances of collapse at home。 The peasants in Russia are not
alone in wanting incompatible things。
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THE CRISIS IN RUSSIA
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