SPEECH ON THE FUEL QUESTION, MARCH 16

Permit me to speak in favor of referring the fuel question to a commission. There is no doubt that the fuel crisis is one of the fundamental, if not the most important, questions of our entire economic construction. But I ask myself: will the report and co-report—one presenting the point of view of the Presidium of the Supreme Council of National Economy, which Comrade Rykov will deliver, the other presenting a critique of this policy—the point of view of Comrade Larin—will these allow us to reach a final decision on such a complex question without referring it to a commission, without studying the documents clarifying what the main issue is here—whether it lies in the shortcomings of the apparatus, in abuses, crimes, or in the weakness of the peasant economy, the peasant horse, without which the delivery of firewood is impossible? I ask myself: can we make a decision without a commission?—and I assert that we cannot.

Therefore, it would be much more practical to select a commission with an expanded composition, with a preponderance of comrades from the localities, familiar with the fuel, and in particular the firewood, matter not only theoretically, but also having worked in this area, knowing this matter from their own practical experience. This commission will not only hear the speakers, but will summon a whole series of individuals and verify the statements of the speaker and co-reporter against the documents. Then this commission will make a report to the Central Committee, on the basis of which the Central Committee will have to adopt a series of crucial

X CONGRESS OF THE RCP(b) 117 decisions in this area. Such a procedure will lead us to more productive and useful results than discussions at the congress, which could take up an entire day, and as a result of which, in the end, we will still come to referring the question to a commission.