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"I will write you an order here and now," replied the Founder. On a small piece of paper he wrote: "Electrify the Ukraine. LENIN." This had the force of a ukase from the Tsar, and for years "electricity" used to be a magic word in Soviet Russia, orators telling everyone as Lenin did that "Electrification, plus the Soviet Power, equals Socialism!" This dazzling equation was given practical expression by erecting the great Dnepr dam, on which 30,000 Russians toiled for five years under Russian engineers topped by U. S. Engineer Hugh Lincoln Cooper who always gave them every credit, received a reputed $125,000 in cash, had a onetime chef-to-the-Tsar cook his meals and also enjoyed a private car. Today all standard Soviet handbooks state that "nine" Dnepr hydroelectric turbines are, not only built but "in operation." In the power house last week Ambassador Davies saw six turbines, one Soviet-manufactured, the others by U. S. General Electric, was told, "the three other turbines will be running by next year!"
In this part of Russia comrades have been boasting for so many years about the boons of electricity under Communism as compared to its curses under Capitalism that they are ready primed to tell any visitor where he gets off. Manager Mirohnikov of the excellently functioning Dnepropetrovsk Aluminum Plant bustled up at once to the U. S. Ambassador and crowed: "In your country the Mellon interests are responsible for the restricted use of aluminum because they fix the price too high. Such under Socialism would not be tolerated!"
"Well, what's the price of aluminum in the Soviet Union?" smiled Mr. Davies. This led, as any question about price always does in Russia, to dispute over the illusive "real value" of the ruble. Since it has never been quoted freely on international exchange or been permitted to move without rigid State restriction across the Soviet frontier, there is no standard for comparing Soviet costs in monetary units with U. S. costs unless the frankly artificial ruble-dollar rate in Moscow be accepted. Last week the disputants never got around to working out the price of Soviet aluminum in dollars & cents, but whatever it costs, the Government is both buyer & seller, producer & consumer under the Soviet system. As the Steel Plant is regarded as "military," Mr. Davies was shown it only from a distance, and in all plants visited the "secret military section" was not shown. Next day, a Soviet "rest day," Mr. Davies saw open hearth furnaces at the Karl Liebknicht Steel Tube Plant, visited Lant Hospital.