The Daily Worker Newspaper, July 11, 1925, Page 14

eee ie e 23F: RE a re =. World Capitalism and. the Soviet Union (Continued from page 1) power in industry, one perceives that capitalism emerged from the war with an extended basis of production. In the post-war years only a portion of this industry was employed—in many ‘countries below 50 per cent of its capacity. ‘The chief causes for this were: The collapse of the mone- tary system and the lack of credit, After the war, capital only accumulat- ed in America. America, however, cut itself off from European affairs. Now, when the international credit system, the international monetary system is being restored again, a re- vival in industry is commencing; all its-earlier accumulated forces are be- ing set in motion and are. working in the direction of the stabilization of capitalism. The Extension of the Market by’ Means of the Reduction of Prices. ILL this process of stabilization be maintained? What are the difli- culties which confront it? ete. In replying to this question we must withdraw a little from current events and engage in a number of abstract considerations. One cannot come to the conclusion that capitalism has finally worked its way out of the post- war morass. Capitalism means‘ ex- change of commodities and its stabil- ization depends upon the question of markets and comes up against the fact of the shrinkage of the markets. Capi- talism knows of two ways whereby it can etxend the market: The first way consists in the cheap- ening of production. If goods are sold at a lower price they find a wider circle ofpurchasers within the limits of the existing national wealth, of the existing national ineéme. The second way is the capturing of new markets. Reduction of prices requires either a change in the organization of indus- try and commerce, or a new technical equipment of economy on a mass scale, Does capitalism possess such tech- nical possibilities, the use of which would enable goods to be cheapened? Yes, these possibilities consist in the employment of electricity, im (the transition from steam power to elec-. trical power. OR capitalism, however, this is at present a purely theoretical pos- sibility.. The hindrances in the way of its practical realization are: first, the accumulation of capital is only taking place to any considerable ex- tent in America. Europe is poorer than before the war, and the invest- ment of big capital sums for the pur- pose of etxending the electrical basis of industry on a mass scale exceeds the powers of international capital. Very interesting results were furnish- ed in this respect by the London elec- tricity congress which took place last year, The results of this congress show that New York alone consumes more electric current than the whole of England, The richest country of Burope, Old England, cannot afford to transfer to electricity, altho the most far-seeing bourgeois politicians perceive this’ to be the only way out of .the deep crisis under which the country is laboring. The published report of the commission of the liber- al party, with a preface by Lloyd George: “Current and.Coal,” states what enormous expenditure is neces- sary in order to electrify England. .Anothér reason why the countries of old capitalism encounter such great difficulties in transferring to electri- city is the following: they have. in- vested an enormous amount of capital jin industry driven by steam power and they cannot therefore transfer to electricity before amortizing the planta and equipnent ‘cf this country without great losses. ““We therefore maintain that the de- velopment of electricity can only pro- ceed in the first place in the young capitalist countries, and in those coun- tries where the rule of capitalis al- ready belnogs to a certain extent ‘to history—we speak neva of Russia, Our advantage consists inthe fact that we are creating many new, things and can create them with the help of electricity, The. steam basis of Russ- fan industry is not very great and its basic capital has been consumed to a very great extent. Of the capitalist countries America is the first that is capable of develop- ing its industry in this direction. Let us mention’ a characteristic trifle: Before the war it had been cal- culated how much money Italy would require in order to go over to elec- tricity and to free itself from the heavy tribute which it had to yield to other countries for coal. This sum amounted to half of the annual ex- penditure of this country for the war. Bourgeois Italy could not bring itself to expend this money for the reorgan- izing of industry, it could, however, -Yenturé to squander: far larger sums for war. purposes. As a result it is now no longer:in a position to.go over to electrification, For ‘the capitalist” coulitries, théré: fore, the way to the cheapening of goods is scarcgly possible all the more so as the policy of the trusts leads to higher prices. (To be continued.) . The Anthracite Coal Miners’ Convention "2"2.72ct®” spor much talked of tri-district min- ers’ convention is now a matter of history and the anthracite miners are now wondering what comes next. It was at this convention that. a new wage scale would be drafted, that is, a uniform set of demands of the miners to be presented to the anthra- cite operators at the expiration of the existing agreement. It was at this convention that the hand picked scale committee would be given to under- stand just exactly what the rank and file wanted. But to those not acquaint- ed swith the-usual procedure of min- ers conventions, let it be understood at the beginning that it did not differ in the least from any other miners’ convention, that is, that the delegates did not transact the business but the “fat bys” on the platform did that little thing. HERE appeared at the convention a small but well organized opposi- tion to the fakers. On _ practically every question of an important char- acter it was this group that led the , offensive. That this group was recog- nized as a foree to be reckoned with was .demonstrated on several occas- ions. It was this group that Lewis was forced to deal with thruout the convention, as a definite opposing group, opposed to the collaborative tactics of Lewis-Cappellini Co. Many progressive measures were placed before the convention and fought for by the Communist dele- gates and their sympathizers. On the resolution demanding the release of all class war prisoners none spoke but the Communist delegates. The convention decided not to assist the causes of these prisoners in a financial way, but decided to give them their “moral support.” . A resolution favoring the labor par- ty was.introduced: by the Communists. The resolution committee attempted to evade the issue by submitting a re- port. recommending the resolution be referred to the international conven- tion, but this move of. the “fat bys” was blocked. After’much debate the committee was instructed to recon- sider the resolution and submit an- other report, which was done, the re- port recommending concurrence. H*® ROYAL LOWNESS, John L, Lewis ‘paid us a visit. John’s paunch has increased in size since I saw him last (we must not forget an assessment .was levied this spring). “After singing ‘the delegation to sleep ‘by enumerating the wicked deeds of “that great American” Schwab, Rockefeller, etc., etc., John had to cook up something frightful to awaken them and to do it promised if the coal barons and “the great Am- -ericans” would continue to “scrap” the Jacksonville agreement that a na- tional strike would we called. The Communists realize what this would do for the union but know also, that it will never materialize with Lewis heading the union. The scale committee, jokers picked from a stacked deck by the way, re- ported a 10 per eent increase for con- tract miners and $1.00 in crease for company labor, including the check- off, tonnage, etc., would be demanded by the -miners. The Communists fought militantly for higher demands. but the machine was too well oiled and the fight was lost. It was pointed out by the Communist delegates that the anthracite operators made mil- lions of dollars in profits in the last few years and that the demands as formulated by the scale committee, re- garding increase in wages, was not equitable and sufficient compensation for the work performed. Combatting the press propaganda that the opera- tors were running the mines at a deficit it was pointed out that the Glen Alden Coal Co., Lehigh Wilkes- BUILDERS A AT WORK A BUILDER WALKED INTO OUR OFFICE. A Very Short Story. A very anxious and enthused Communist Builder walked into the DAILY WORKER office. Eureka—he had discovered something new— something that he was sure would get more results than ever, something “so simple,” he told us, “that it’s a wonder no one ever thought of it before.” The truth of the matter was that others had thought of it before— often. But not often enough to repeat it, over and over until this fact © stuck in every Communist Builders mind so clearly that it would make” him act automatically. © The anxious and énthused Communist Bulider who walked into the DAILY WORKER office proposed that the best way te “Build the DAILY WORKER was ‘TO TALK ABOUT IT’ in the shop, and in the trade unions where it counts. most”, said the comrade, “but not only there— everywhere!” “Surely our comirades will see the value of this, In my shop when crooked trade union officials are mentioned, 1 join the _ conversation; ‘Sure,’ | tell them, ‘the other day the DAILY WORKER showed up In When China was mentioned—I got’ every article of Bill Dunne’s ‘The Ensiavement of China’ in my shop locker, and when- | ever | get a chance, I talk about the Daily. Just talk—that’s all—and Frisco cides & you know how many subs | got—". The comrade stopped to light a cigarette and began all over. Just imagine how much a capitalist concern would pay to have thow sands of. workers’ talking up their products. Why. they'd pay millions of - dollars—and they do It right now. for less! : We have the bést advertising medium. In the world for Communisnnt —thousands of convinced Communists!~ ; If every one of them talked—just . talked—in_ the 67 varieties of languages we have—we'd have thousands of Communist agitators and organizers—and our party and the DAILY WORKER would be many times their present size. Our Communist Bullder put on his hat with this closing adviee: “I got so many results that I'm going to keep It up whether anybody else does or not. But just tell the other DAILY, WORKER Ballders about it—will you?” , & Barre Co., Penna. Coal Co., Philadel- phia and Reading, and other large companies made a tremendous profit, running into the millions of dollars, in the last few years. The insistance which the Communists demanded 20 per cent for contract miners and $2 for company labor roused the ire of His Lowness, who was the chairman, who demanded of the Communists that they were not “ham-stringing” the officials. HE ‘scale committee, ‘Jointly with the district officials of Districts 1, 7, 9, including the International of- ficials will soon go to Atlantic City to meet the operators. - Lewis will de- mand the establishment f the check- off and will make this the paramount demand, not because the checkoff will be a powerful thing for the union, but insuring Lewis and Co. tax on all the membership, some locals at present not paying tax for their full member- ship. Even if granted, the 10 per cent and $1 per day wage demand which is a.remote possibility, it will _| not megn-véry much to the anthracite mine workers, who are very poorly paid at-the present time, considering the wage scale of other organized ter- ritories. The scale committee forgot entirely the plight of the thousands of ill-paid boys slaving in the mines for a miserable wage, they did not demand the equalization of wages for these boys who perform work, men’s 2 work, that is fundamentally || tion were the following: Child Labor, Labor Party, . Class ‘War Prisoners, _} double rat Sundays and holidays, and _| Several other of a minor nature. 1 & Gn under the leadership of the | Communists, and fighting on the ~ Communist program, will the lot of -|the anthracite miners be bettered. Te continue in the future a im the past pace Boece rue lle Mage FF He oe ot Fe : ie ray wie anh wa wt erally. To the delegates: to the com- munists call upon you to support theni lini machine, support them on the ig i i 5 = & F 3 & oy