Document 113

Unpublished article "Violators of Stalin's Statutes of Kolkhoz Life," 20 December 1938

RGAE, f. 396, op. 11, d. 34, ll. 102-105. Certified, typewritten copy.

The Voroshilov Kolkhoz in Mytishchi Raion, Moscow Oblast, was established in 1930. In terms of the number of consolidated farmsteads, the kolkhoz was a small one, numbering thirteen farmsteads. The kolkhoz had all the prerequisites for it to gain financial strength and thereby to provide a prosperous life for the kolkhoz members. The kolkhoz had 107.6 hectares of land, it had work animals, agricultural equipment and, finally, most important, the kolkhoz farmers had a fervent desire to forge, through harmonious, collective labor, a new happiness for themselves.

People on the make who worked their way into the leadership decided, with the direct connivance of certain leaders, to take a completely different path, a path of crime, deceit and crooked activity.

Former chairman of the kolkhoz board Markov, aware that the direct purpose of the kolkhoz is agricultural production and that the establishment of any auxiliary enterprises whatsoever that are not related to agriculture is not envisaged by the kolkhoz statutes and is directly prohibited by a government resolution, decided that none of this applies to him in the least. After seeking out a clever swindler named Gaivoronsky (who is now under arrest as an enemy of the people), Markov developed boundless energy in setting up auxiliary enterprises of the most varied kind, knowing that something from this venture may come his way as well.

On 12 April 1937 Markov secured the kolkhoz farmers' consent, misled them, collected from them cash and working capital for a future enterprise and sent out representatives to all the republics of the Soviet Union to sell the yet-to-be-produced merchandise-- contour maps and classroom blackboards.

Without a single map produced, Markov sent out twenty two representatives, who accepted orders for the manufacture of thirty six thousand maps worth 1,480,000 rubles, taking advantage of a flawed accounting and reporting system, these agents appropriated 122,603 rubles from the advance payments made and some of them gradually slipped out of the kolkhoz's sight, or to put it more simply, they went into hiding with kolkhoz money.

After still receiving 580,000 rubles in advances instead of 700,000, Markov set about making the geographical maps. Production proved to be rudimentary and as a result 85.8 percent of the output in 1937 was defective.

Markov, dissatisfied with this and clearly aware that the auxiliary enterprises were not working out, opened a new production line, now already without the knowledge of all of the kolkhoz farmers, for the manufacture of small rugs on the theme of the Three Little Pigs. The fate of this new production line was roughly the same--the kolkhoz lost more than three thousand rubles.

Nevertheless, Markov, following the enemy's bidding, laid down grandiose "projects" that called for the kolkhoz to build a huge, integrated plant for geographical maps, a vegetable storehouse, a livestock yard, etc. He sought workers to hire, and took on completely unknown individuals as agents for timber procurement, and they went into hiding after failing to account for 24,635 rubles.

Instead of properly organizing agricultural production, kolkhoz chairman Markov, auditing commission chairman and brigade leader Zhiganov and bookkeeper Serebriakov go on drinking binges in close matrimony [sic] with Gaivoronsky. Agriculture, i.e. the basis of kolkhoz production, is regarded as a secondary matter. As a result, in 1937 ten out of fifteen hectares of potatoes remained under snow and the per-hectare yields of oats and other crops dropped sharply. While he was drunk, brigade leader Zhiganov plowed half a hectare that had already been sowed to onions. The drunkards and criminals made the situation so bad already that the value of a laborday has dropped sharply and losses totaling 439,788 rubles have been inflicted on the kolkhoz.

The outraged kolkhoz farmers ejected the bankrupt leaders Markov, Zhiganov and Zhiganova from the kolkhoz leadership. But the newly elected chairman Gavrilenko was not much better than his predecessors. Instead of establishing Bolshevik order on the kolkhoz, Gavrilenko continued a course of setting up auxiliary enterprises. New orders were accepted for map production, a contract was signed for the manufacture of colored chalk, membership cards in the MOPR [International Organization for Assistance to Revolutionary Fighters], etc. The previous practice also produced the previous results. In 1938, during Gavrilenko's tenure, losses totaling 14,634 rubles were inflicted on the kolkhoz.

Bookkeeper Serebriakov and accountant Zhiganova brought accounting and reporting on the kolkhoz to a state of chaos. Requirements for financial discipline were violated, and accountable individuals wound up with arrears of 135,000 rubles.

Thus the criminals, ignoring the interests of kolkhoz farmers and deliberately violating Stalin's statutes of kolkhoz life, drove the kolkhoz into a grave condition and devalued the kolkhoz farmer's laborday.

They will all appear before the Moscow Oblast Court in the very near future.

The case is being heard with the participation of the prosecution and the defense in assizes in Mytishchi Raion.

V. N. Markov, S. S. Serebriakov and I. I. Gavrilenko have been charged with abuse of their positions under Article 109 of the RSFSR Criminal Code. Accountant A. A. Zhiganova and auditing commission chairman V. A. Zhiganov have been charged with neglect of their official duties under Article 111 of the Criminal Code.

The impending trial is yet another confirmation of the correctness and timeliness of the Union Government resolution of 23 October 1938 "On the Illegal Establishment Under Kolkhozes of Industrial Enterprises Not Related to Agricultural Production."

This trial graphically demonstrates what breaches of Stalin's statutes of kolkhoz life lead to.