AMERICAN PROBLEMS by WILLIAM E.BORAH 1924

RECOGNITION OF RUSSIA 221
In the year of 1898 the All-Russian Central Union of
Consumers Societies was established. It is commonly
known both in Russia and abroad as centrosoyus—a contraction
in the Russian language meaning central union.
The centrosoyus is an organization consisting of all the
provincial and individual cooperative societies in Russia
and Siberia and might properly be termed a superwholesale
cooperative society. All national and international
activities of the cooperative societies are concentrated in
this body.
All imports into Russia and Siberia and exports
from Russia and Siberia are handled by this organization.
It has established banks, savings banks, insurance
and credit societies, operates schools, libraries, hospitals,
sanitariums, hotels, theaters, moving pictures, etc.,
benefit of its members.
for the
It is a common belief in this country that all organizations
now operating in Russia and Siberia are branches of
the Soviet Government. While this may be true in a
number of instances, it does not apply to the Centrosoyus.
The Centrosoyus is a free and independent organization,
which the government has seen fit to grant special privileges
because of its altruistic ideals. In fact, the Centrosoyus
is the only cooperative society in Russia and Siberia
operating today, having replaced all
other cooperative societies
which previously existed separately. Direct trade
with Russia and Siberia through those functions now existing
outside of Russia and Siberia only, which have refused
to reconcile themselves to the new order of affairs
in Russia and Siberia, is now impossible.
It must be pointed out, however, that the Soviet Government
exercises a certain measure of regulation over the
Centrosoyus. Just as our Government or any other government
exercises a certain measure of regulation over its
nationals, so also the Soviet Government exercises the