861.504/352: Telegram
The Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Steinhardt) to the Secretary of State
[Received October 4—12:35 a.m.]
1275. The press today publishes a ukase10 of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet providing for the creation of state labor reserves in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. The ukase states that in order to assure “a continuing reserve of labor for industry” it is essential to provide for the training annually for transfer to industry in trade schools, railroad schools and factory apprentice schools of a labor reserve of 800,000 to 1,000,000 youths. The trade schools will provide a 2-year course for the training of skilled workers for metallurgy, chemical, mining, oil and other industries and for water transport and communications. The railroad schools will provide the same period of training for all branches of railroad work. The factory apprentice schools will provide 6-month preparation of ordinary workers for certain industries. Students in the above mentioned schools will receive no pay but will be supported at the expense of the state. The state reserves of labor thus created will be at the disposition of the Soviet of People’s Commissars alone and will not be available to commissariats and enterprises without permission of the Government. The trade and railroad schools will take youths from 14 to 15 years of age and the factory apprentice schools youths from 16 to 17 years. The decree further directs the presidents of collective farms to “mobilize” annually for every 100 members of the collective farms, 4 young men to be sent to these schools. The number of young men to be provided by the town Soviets is to be determined each year by the Soviet of People’s Commissars. The ukase further provides that when young men have completed their courses in the above mentioned schools they “shall be considered as mobilized and shall be obliged to work for 4 consecutive years thereafter in state enterprises by order of the Chief Administration of Labor Reserves”; that during the period of instruction and the subsequent 4-year period they shall not be liable to military service.
The press likewise publishes two decrees of the Soviet of People’s Commissars implementing the foregoing ukase. One establishes a “Chief Administration of Labor Reserves” (with P. C. Moskatov11 [Page 231] as head) attached to the Soviet of People’s Commissars which is given entire control over the preparation and utilization of these labor reserves. The second decree sets forth the details of the organization and operation of the trade, railroad and factory apprentice schools and provides that in the period from November 10 to November 25, 1940, 350,000 young men shall be admitted either through mobilization or through voluntary enlistment to the trade and railroad schools and 250,000 to the factory apprentice schools.
A decree of the Soviet of People’s Commissars also published today abolishes the system of free education in the secondary schools and higher educational institutions in the Soviet Union and provides that from September 1, 1940, students in the 8th, 9th and 10th grades of the secondary schools shall pay tuition fees of 150 or 200 rubles a year depending on the location of the school and university students fees of from 300 to 500 rubles. The decree further provides that from November 1, 1940, the system of stipends to students shall be abolished except for those students whose work has been outstanding.