U.S. Assistance for Russia

In your piece on Nizhny Novgorod (Nov. 1), it is ironic to note that truck auctions with vouchers are opening up the capitalist road in the heartland of Russia. You fail to mention, however, that this is a kind of skewed rebirth of private enterprise for the city, since Henry Ford came there in the early 1930s and literally built up the huge automobile complex with American finances and technical know-how. There they produced trucks and autos--Ford Model As and AAs, that is. It was a strange case of Western entrepreneurs such as Ford entering into what they saw as the “Soviet market” some 60 years ago.

It may be as amusing as it is tragic. If you ask an older automobile worker about Ford’s exploits in Nizhny Novgorod, he will probably tell you that Ford had his days there. His cars and trucks are still remembered by many as being durable. The birth of capitalism took place in the city through penetration by American companies like Ford Motor Co.. Today’s venture into “voucher capitalism” is only a rebirth.

I will be going again to Russia this January, but this time as a Fulbright lecturer to Nizhny Novgorod. Witnessing history unfolding before my eyes will be as exciting to me as landing a mud-splattered truck for a Russian at a voucher auction.

ANATOLI ILYASHOW

Los Angeles