|
Moldavan's article
Moldavian Vasiliy is a candidate of economic science, editor-in-chief from 1964 to 1968 acting as director from 1968 to 1969, the director of publishing house from 1969 to 1972, editor-in-chief of the main edition of the political literature, a member of board of Goskomizdat of the USSR
Unforgettable
The present name to publishing house has been appropriated in 1963. In the end of this year the government of the USSR has made the fundamental decision on radical reorganization of publishing in the country. Till these times all publishing houses have been subordinated to various economic departments. For example, publishing house " Metallurgy " has been subordinated to the Ministry of an iron and steel industry of the USSR, publishing house " Physical culture and sports " - to Committee on affairs of physical training and sports at Ministerial council of the USSR, publishing house " Selhozgiz " - to the Ministry of Agriculture of the USSR, etc. Publishing house " Gosekonomizdat ", the basic making part of future publishing house " Economika ", there was in direct submission of state economic board of the USSR. Some publishing houses, for example "Fiction", "Sozecgiz", " the Soviet Encyclopedia ", were in submission of the Ministry of culture of the USSR.
Absence of the uniform center on management of publishing in the country generated large disadvantages. Sharp deficiency in the literature was felt, and simultaneously used constantly increasing demand of readers. There was no children's literature, the textbooks, the fundamental editions, the intereconomic communications devoted to vital topics which developments at the given stage of the Soviet economy got paramount value. I remember an example. Publishing houses " Gostorgizdat " as the publishing house of CentreSoviet were included in again created publishing house " Economika ". Of course, new publishing house could not take all paper for recycling stored in warehouses of these publishing houses on the balance. So publishing house of CentreSoviet has been compelled to destroy some tens thousand copies of books and, mainly, brochures which for years laid in warehouses though their edition has demanded the certain expenses - a paper, editorial work, expenses of polygraphy and the fee paid to the authors.
Thus, the process of association of publishing houses was rather complex and was quite often accompanied by fine conflicts. In the head of the incorporated publishing houses (the polygraphic enterprises and all network of book trade was also included in this system) again formed Committee on a press was put at Ministerial council of the USSR. Later it was renamed in the State Committee of Ministerial council of the USSR on affairs of publishing houses, polygraphies and book trade. This Committee carried out personnel selection, distributed a paper, polygraphic base, approved thematic plans of publishing houses, including what remained at the disposal of some departments ("Politizdat", " Molodaya Gvardiaya ", "Science", "Profizdat", etc.). For a Long time "Goskomizdat" was headed by an outstanding statesman, the journalist, the big friend of the writers, dear person – Stukalin. Under his supervision the publishing branch of the country has reached, in my opinion, the highest achievements. The new publishing house demanded the uniform structure, the proved system of a payment. All these problems were solved with the certain difficulties and not without disagreements. The situation became complicated also due to fact that all three publishing houses were placed in different premises and even in different areas of the city.
By the way, in 1964 I have been dismissed from managing faculty of political economy of the Moscow State Institute of Culture that was on Left-bank near city Khimki, and approved in a post of the editor-in-chief of publishing house " Economika ".
The over passing all of these organizational difficulties took the end of 1963 and 1964. In 1965 there was a new problem with accommodation. Former "Goseconomizdat", placed in rather convenient premises on the street Giljarovskogo, has been compelled to leave these premises urgently. The matter is that in September, 1965 September plenum of the Central Committee of the CPSU has made a decision about abolition of Soviet public economies and restoration of all-union and union-republican ministries. The premises occupied by publishing house, also as well as other premises in this house, were intended for accommodation of the Ministry of the Chemical industry of the USSR. We had to go in different places. We were offered a pair of rooms in publishing house " Progress ". Some rooms to us have allocated in publishing house " Fiction ". At last, at extreme condensation we were placed on street B. Gruzinskaya and in publishing house " Fiction ". Position of publishing house was difficult. Editors seldom met with each other. Many editors, engaged greater on volume manuscripts, worked at home. In these conditions it was difficult to create feeling of a collectivism and mutual aid, to organize an exchange of experience. Thus, there was a sharp question on a concentration of all collective in one premise. The Chairman of Committee on a press at Ministerial council of the USSR of Mihajlov N.A. raised the question before the first vice-president of Ministerial council of the USSR Mazurov K.T. about construction of a building for publishing house " Economika ". As construction of office buildings in Moscow was at that time forbidden (for this purpose the special decision of Ministerial council of the USSR) Cyril Trofimovich Mazurov has signed the Order about the sanction of construction of a school building for time accommodation in it of our publishing house. It was a typical building of school, with classes, laboratories, a teacher's room, a cabinet of director and even with a small apartment for the watchman. Any changes in a lay-out of a building have been forbidden. Anyway, but in July, 1967 with my participation as the builder, the first stone in the base of a building of the future school was placed.
But we shall distract for a while from construction of the school, that is building of publishing house. In the middle of 60th years has inflamed sharp discussion among scientists-economists concerning the plan and the market. The matter is that rates of growth of a national economy of the USSR recently were slowed down. Of course, first of all, scientists tried "to open" ways of faster rise of all branches of a national economy. This discussion has not bypassed the publishing house " Economika " too. In 1967 there was published Gennady Lisichkin's brochure " the Plan and the market " in publishing house around of which heated arguments have inflamed, both outside publishing house, and inside of its collective. Shortly speaking, G.Lisichkin's brochure gave obvious preference to the market before the plan and called all society to give market attitudes the basic, the leading part in development of a national economy. However, the same year our publishing house has let out V.A.Badera's book with the title " the Socialist product ". In this book the author tried to reveal V.I.Lenin's known position that " the State product is the product of socialist factory exchanged for the country foodstuffs, is not the goods, any more the goods, ceases to be the goods … ". I remember that many participants of the discussion quite often referred on both books mentioned here.
Shall we return to our native publishing house. Though and slowly, but construction of a building proceeded. In 1969 our publishing house and other two ("Energy", " the Physical culture and sports ") were transmitted in the framework of experiment on new system of planning and provision of economic incentives. For clearness some deviation is required here. In September, 1965 Plenum of the Central Committee of the CPSU has discussed a question of economic reform. The made decision was following: "About improvement of management by the industry, perfection of planning and strengthening of provision of economic incentives of industrial production ". In October, 1965 the joint decision of the Central Committee of the CPSU and Ministerial council of the USSR " About perfection of planning and strengthening of provision of economic incentives of industrial production " was accepted. The specified decisions had the purpose to achieve the most correct combination of the centralized state planning to the wide economic initiative of the enterprises and strengthening of provision of economic incentives of industrial production. Soon on new system of planning and provision of economic incentives in the framework of the experiment some tens large industrial enterprises of the country were transmitted, three publishing houses mentioned above were included in number of these enterprises. The essence of new system of planning and provision of economic incentives consisted in the following. The state plans of manufacturing of an industrial output, the task were lead up to the enterprises on updating means of production and obligations on formation of the state budget. Production made over the plan could be realized under the discretion of the enterprise, and the enterprise could spend the supertarget profit for development of manufacturing, material encouragement of workers and employees, creation of fund of welfare actions and housing construction.
In these conditions in November, 1969 we have finished construction of our building. In December, 1969 I already was on the post of Director of publishing house. That year all collective of publishing house has moved in the new house on Berezhkovskaya quay. This was unusual pleasure for all of us. The friendship, mutual aid has become stronger, collective discussions of manuscripts began to be spent widely, quality of editing raised, various collective cultural actions were organized.
The creative initiative of the editorial, and all the industrial personnel has considerably increased. There were new plans, actual offers. We not only selected the authors, but also formed creative collectives for creation of the books conceived by us. So, for example, we made the offer to the "Goskomizdat" of the USSR about translation into Russian of the three-volume book which was published in the USA under the title " the Rate for the maximum administrative personnel "." Goskomizdat " has supported us. It was necessary to find experts in this area who could select the most actual and corresponding the general laws schemes of managing, i.e. suitable for the Soviet managers. Besides it was necessary to find such experts who in perfection knew English. Such work was done, and " the Rate for the maximum administrative personnel " in one volume was published in the greater circulation which has quickly been bought up. Soon in the “heart” of editorial collective was “born“ the idea of editing of " the Calendar of the business executive ". It was a question of release of the reference book of the economic director where he could find actual advice, reminds about what he could not forget and what is necessary for him to do every day. Two years this book was issued in greater circulations and was sold very quickly. On the pages of the calendar fallen on the days off, were located various jokes, the jokes corresponding cares, failures of the business executives. Unfortunately, these "Sunday" pages of a calendar didn’t not like someone from the Central Committee, and we had to stop releasing of this popular book: " We were told, there is not enough paper to print jokes ".
To the beginning of 70th years we had a powerful collective of highly skilled editors. It is necessary to notice, that we published the literature of rather wide structure. These are theoretical and practical works on economy, planning, work, management, a rural economics, trade, public catering and consumers' cooperative society. Among the most talented and skilled editors it is necessary to note Tolypina O.N., Konikov P.A., Gorelik L.J., Kirakozova N.S., Syrova V.V., Seliverstova R.L., Borisovskaya M., Sazanovich N.K., Trifsik G.B., Tolmacheva A.V., the head of trading editorial offices Ustinov M.T., Polievktova E.V. who have grown from the younger editor to the director of publishing house in structure of RPA "Economika". It would be desirable to note still pair important points from the life of publishing house " Economika ". Working in new conditions of planning and provision of economic incentives, the publishing saved up the certain sum of the supertarget profit which sufficed not only on quarterly premiums to the employees of publishing house, but also allowed to keep construction of the apartment house. We managed to include the construction of our house in the building program of "Mosstroy" which has developed the construction of four 14-floor houses on the Berzarin street. One of these houses was prepared for us, we paid for construction of this house equally with the "Vneshtorgizdat". In 1971 the construction of the house was completed, and we half-and-half with " Vneshtorgizdat " occupied all the apartments. We have solved then all “apartment” problems of our employees, many of them improved living conditions. It was our biggest achievement.
The collective of any publishing house consists not only of the editors, its structure also includes scheduled, industrial, art departments, proof-reading, economic service. I’d like to note diligent work of the deputy director economic-industrial department Karandeev I.N. who was responsible for construction of the building of publishing house, for the apartment house and for the decision-making of various economic problems. Excellent job for many years carried out the chief of the planning department Bogdanskaya T.I., the chief of an industrial department Lygina M.I., and her assistants Ostrovaya M.V.and Shahova I.K. The artists Rafalskij V.P., Lapshin V.G., Mihaylov À.Í worked hard too.
As a whole, it is possible to tell, that work of publishing house was successful. Its production rendered the essential help to the enterprises of the industry, trade, collective farms and state farms, educational institutions in the problem solving. Production of publishing house "Economika" took an appreciable place in a lump of book production of the country. In summary it would be desirable to tell, that 70th years of the last century were the most productive in development of book culture in our country. The general circulation of the books which issueing by all publishing houses of the country, came nearer to three billions copies, or approximately on 10 copies per capita. The USSR was considered as the most reading country in the world.
Interview with Ustinov M.T.
In 1951 Ustinov M.T. came to work in the publishing house " Gostorgizdat ", then it was renamed in publishing house " Economika ". Having worked some time in a post of the editor, Michael Terentevich worked then within 12 years as manager of economic editorial office, and about 30 years - the assistant of the editor-in-chief. Before working in publishing house he served in army and had no connections with publishing life. Therefore all the difficulties arising at the beginning and questions in working process were solved in the framework of all the collective: colleagues helped with work too, both managers of the editorial offices, and the editor-in-chief. Work of publishers in those days was estimated not so high: according to the Ustinov’s memoirs, their wages contained 800 roubles per month and only when he became manager of economic editorial office, his salary began to make 1100 roubles. But the work in publishing house was prestigious, all the prospect employees had to pass serious interview, in publishing house went to work not only graduates of leading trading and economic high schools of all Soviet Union, including well-known Plehanovskiy institute but also graduates of faculties of journalism. If necessary the employees were sent on courses of qualification improvement for maintenance of precise and competent editorial process.
During those times at publishing house, also as well as now, there was an Editorial Board which structure included its basic authors known then economists and academicians: Shatalin S.S., Jasin E.G., Kagalovskij V.G., Petrakov N.J., Bogachev V.N., Abalkin L.I., Aganbegjan A.G., Glazev S.J. (it was the youngest Doctor of Economics). Academicians often visited editorial offices, their books were actively published in publishing house during many years. Functions of Editorial Board included drawing up of recommendations on subjects and directions of a publishing house.
In those days publishing house " Economika ", alongside with publishing house "Politizdat", was included into the first group of large publishing houses of our country. Publishing house " Economika " which received the present name in 1963, included 10 book editions: 7 economic editions, and also editions "State trade", "Consumers' cooperative society" and "Public catering". It is interesting, that publishing house " Economika " has found the present address of staying not at once. In 1964 trading editorial offices of publishing house were placed on B.Gruzinskaya street, economic editorial offices were placed in D’yakonovskiy lane, and only in 1969 was constructed the new building on quay Berezhkovskaya for publishing house. As recollects Seliverstova R.L., she is the wife of Ustinov M.T., she has been working in publishing house for forty years and beginning from the proof-reader and finishing with the post of manager of editorial office "Consumers' cooperative society", for all the employees of publishing house it became greater and joyful event. With finding a new building publishing house " Economika " began to borrow the whole three and a half of a floor, on the ground floor of publishing house adjoined " Vneshtorgizdat ". For these years the publishing house has replaced not one editor-in-chief: we still keep in mind good memoirs on work with Lesogurskiy, Ãîðüêîâûì, Grachev, Osipov, Grechishnikov, Pervushin and Moldovan.
Besides the releasing of books and the literature of economic subjects the publishing house was engaged in releasing of magazines " Public caterings ", " the Soviet trade ", and also let out the bulletin " the New goods ". Those years the publishing house let out large enough circulations of the textbooks, fundamental works and monographies of large scientists, academicians and teachers. Circulations of books reached up to 30000 and more. Each annual plan of directions of activity of editing and releasing of printed production was considered by specially created Board of "Goskomizdata", usually the Board affirmed the strict coherent plan for a year. Then there was a statement of the plan Ministerial council. It is necessary to note, that before defining the annual plan, employees of editorial offices traveled a lot around the country and discussed themes with the heads of large educational and research institutes. The subjects of the let out literature essentially did not vary, priority value was always allocated on releasing the literature concerning economy, trade, public catering and consumers' cooperative society. Only according to directions of policy of the Soviet state depending on a historical stage of development of our country varied the purposes and the problems, put by the leadership before people. At the let out literature invariable there was a party orientation: books have been overflown by citations of the classics of marxism-leninism.
The publishing house was engaged in releasing of the translated literature, and not only from the European languages, but also from languages of the countries of former Soviet Union. Books were translated on the Czech, Slovak, Polish, German languages. For work with the European languages were invited professional translators on a contractual basis. For an exchange of experience and knowledge with Ustinov M.T.'s colleagues-publishers repeatedly went abroad, mainly in the socialist countries: Yugoslavia, Poland, GDR, Czechoslovakia. Annually with reciprocal visits to publishing house there came delegations from other countries: from Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia. Ustinov M.T. with the colleagues took part in the international exhibitions, he was there as the main representative of publishing house.
In a labor field employees of editorial office received distinctions, badges “For good work” and the reached successes and awards " Udarnik of five-year plan ", " the Winner of socialist competition ", " the Veteran of work ", their delivery passed in solemn conditions, at assemblies, at presence of all labor collective. The best books marked at book exhibitions on VDNH. Traditionally in publishing house the anniversaries of the Great Domestic war were marked, in fact in collective there were many people who have passed he war. The trade-union committee and the party organization, existed then, actively encouraged employees of publishing house with permits in sanatorium, tourist trips on cities of Soviet Union and the near abroad were organized, did not disregard children of employees. The working day of publishing house began in 9 A.M. in the morning and came to an end at 18 o'clock, there was a usual everyday work, the truth, sometimes it was necessary to work and overtime, and in emergency mode. There were cases, that employees were late on work, took work home because it was necessary to hand over the book urgently. But despite of all difficulties, from forty-year work in Ustinov’s publishing collective were kept very pleasant memoirs which he shared in conversation: every day employees of editorial office came with pleasure to the native collective in which the kind and pleasant atmosphere where all approached crucially to the work reigned and carried out it meaningly, honesty and skillfully.
Âåðíóòüñÿ ê ñïèñêó ñòàòåé
|
