Date: 1917-06
Source: ru:PSS/v32

Minister Peshekhonov spoke at length in his address, uttering many lofty and admirable sentiments: he spoke of “distributing what we have equitably,” of the fact that “the resistance of the capitalists appears to have been broken,” and of much the same sort.

Yet he cited only a single precise figure. In his entire speech, there was but one unambiguous fact—and it occupied a mere six lines out of the speech’s eight columns. This is the fact: nails are sold by the factories at 20 kopeks per pound, while for the general public they fetch as much as 2 rubles per pound.

If, indeed, “the resistance of the capitalists has been broken,” might it not be possible to enact a law mandating the publication of: 1) all guarantee letters pertaining to supply prices; 2) all supply prices for goods delivered to the state treasury; 3) the cost of production for goods supplied to the state treasury? And might we not also empower workers’ organizations to scrutinize all such matters?

“Pravda,” No. 76, June 21 (8), 1917

Printed according to the text of the newspaper “Pravda.”