litary
operations. Military roads have, as we know, been built many times in
advance of any economic demand, and have later become valuable aids in
developing the adjacent country.

Another reason for the non-development of the north country in the past
is the lack of available labor-supply. People are widely scattered. The
majority of the industrious ones are on their own farms, and of the
remainder the number available for the industries of any locality is
small. Added to this condition is a very noticeable disinclination on
the part of everybody toward over-exertion at the behest of others;
coupled with a responsiveness to holidays that is incomprehensible to
Americans who believe in making time into money. While the excessive
proportion of holidays in the Russian calendar is deprecated by the more
far-sighted and educated among the Russians, there is no hesitation on
that score noticeable among the bulk of the people. Holidays are holy
days and not to be neglected. Consequently the supply of labor for hire
is not satisfactory from the employer's standpoint, because it is not
only small but unsteady. The Russian workman is faithful enough when
treated understandingly. But if allowance is not made beforehand for his
limitations and his customs, those who deal with him will be sorely
disappointed.

It is said that there are upwards of seventy regular holidays, most of
them of church origin, aside from Sundays; and in addition, holidays by
proclamation are not infrequent. Some holidays last three days and some
holiday seasons--notably the week before Lent--are celebrated in a
different village of a group each day. The villagers in all perform only
the necessary work each day and flock in the afternoon and evenings to
the particular village which is acting as host and entertainment center
for that day. It is all very pleasant, but it is no life for the solid
business man or the industrious laborer. Fortunately the agricultural
and forestry areas of the north, of which this passage is written, yield
a comfortable, primitive living to these hardy people without constant
work. The needs of modern industry as we understand it, have not entered
to cause confusion in their social structure. The sole result has been
to delay the development of resources and industry by deterring the
application of capital and entrepreneurship on any large scale.

Before the war the English had active interest in flax and timber and
some gene