SOVIET SOWING

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 424, 4 May 1937, Page 7

SOVIET SOWING

FAR BEHIND SCHEDULE Newspaper’s Bitter Criticism Moscow, April 15. The Soviet spring sowing programme, which calls lor the planting oi 37,797,600 acres of farm lands, has been reported to be far behind schedule. The Commissariats of Agriculture, State Farms and the Food industry announced that only 223,600 acres had been planted with spring crops by March 15. compared with 1,603,200 acres on the same date a year ago. The delay was explained in some quarters as due to a backward spring in souther;! Russia, where snow and wet ground are holding up work. But the newspaper Pravda, official Communist party organ, published one of the bitterist criticsms of party and State officials concerning the crop situation that has been seen in recent years. Describing the situation as alarming, due to “criminal negligence.” Pravda declared no excuses for the delay were acceptable, and blamed scores of officials by name, including State and party leaders of the Ukraine, the Azov-Black Sea area, Georgia and north Caucasus.