Memorandum Appendix IX. Article on Food Cards by Classes. (Extracts)

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IX.

ARTICLE ON FOOD CARDS BY CLASSES. (EXTRACTS)

[Izvestia, Sept. 11, 1918.]

The card system has been in existence almost from the very first days of the war, but a Class card system is being introduced for the first time. As an experiment, this distribution by classes of food supplies was tried first in the Petrograd commune. This was only an experiment, a beginning, but now such a class distribution must be introduced as a general system. "What is this class card system?" The title speaks for itself. It is the distribution of all foodstuffs' according to classes of which our present society is composed. * * *

According to the project prepared and already adopted and confirmed, the whole population is divided into four groups and the receiving of its class share of the articles Of food is expressed for each group by the following percentages:

Let us take the third group that receives 100 per cent as the basis for reckoning. In this group are included persons occupied in light physical labor and also persons doing mental work whose work takes place in definitely normal conditions with a normal expenditure of physical and muscular energy. ***

The fourth group is to receive only 50 per cent.

It is no secret to anyone that the persons of the fourth group are for the most part parasitic elements who do not expend any physical energy and do not do any work useful to the community.

The introduction of such a class system of feeding is dictated by sheer necessity resulting from the absence of reserves of supplies and the difficulties in organizing the distribution of supplies. But I believe that such a system of distribution should be the permanent and general principle in our socialistic country, which is gradually gaining strength.

In conclusion I believe that it would be very desirable if comrades among the workmen would comment on this article of mine, and would try to send in their remarks and express their view with regard to this dividing up of the population into groups, and the class food-card system in general, although the question of introducing the latter has already been decided and the first steps will be taken within the next days.