BUSINESS ABROAD: Hard Figures on Russia

How is the Russian economy doing? In Stalin's day it was hard to tell, since the figures given were percentage gains from a base that was seldom given. Last week a comprehensive set of hard figures emerged for the first time, as the Russians published their first volume of production statistics in 17 years. According to The National Economy of the U.S.S.R., between 1940 and 1955:

¶ Steel production rose 142%, from 18.3 million tons to 45.3 million tons. (In the same period U.S. steel output rose 67%, to 117 million tons.)

¶ Coal output increased 136% from 165.9 million...

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