The Daily Worker Newspaper, August 29, 1925, Page 10

“game SAARI BI Etta em recmerme | (Continued from Yesterday's Daily Worker) | 4 SYNOPSIS.—The official report of the British trade union delegation to Soviet Russia described the workings of foreign trade, transportation, industry, finance and agriculture in the Soviet Union. The tradé union leaders concluded that foreign trade is Increasing, and that In agriculture and industry the ievel of production is being ralsed. The financés have been Placed on a sound basis, the report showed. Harm Is belng done to Eng-" land by the absence of full diplomatic relations, the union leaders stated. Schools and universities, and literature, music and opera and the theatre were then discussed. Art collections, censorship, newspapers, wall news- papers, and freedom of the press were explained, with the conclusion that “the results of education are astounding.” The report then took up hospitals, welfare work, sanitation, birth control, abortion, cleanliness and housing, rent regulations, family life, and prisons. “The Soviet government Is achieving most remarkable results in respect to public health, housing, and the prison.system,” says the report. Regarding the trade unions and labor conditions, the report states, “The Delegation were much Impressed ; by thé position and activities of Trade Unions under the Soviet system,” The report then described labor regulations, co-opératives, wagés, and told of visits to various industrial works. The general conclusion on labor con- ditions reached by the commission was that, “The U. S. S. R. is a strong and stable state. The government is not only In every way better than; anything Russia has ever yet had, but It has, done and is doing work in which other older state systems have failed and are failing.” e @ e e We were also gratified to note the efforts which were being made to take care of the young. We visited the Baby Creche where babies from three to eighteen months are cared for by skilled nurses and doctors in premises kept scrupulously clean, furnished, with small tables, toys, and all kinds of the special equipment required for this purpose. Workers have their own hospitals on the job, first aid equipment, schools for their chil- dren, gymnasiums and recreation grounds. Medical attention is provided for the workers and special efforts are made to pro- tect the health of their children. Monthly reports are given regarding the progress of each child coming under the care of those in charge of the children’s hospital and Baby Care Center. The average wage paid is 60 roubles per month, the mini- mum monthly wage being 35 roubles on time work, but 80 per cent of the men are employed on piecework and are employed 24 days per calendar month. While the average piecework earn- ings during last October were 63 roubles per man, it was stated that in some cases the maximum earnings were up to 150 roubles. . _/¢In connection with this, as in the case of all large contracts, * the.men.employed were members of the union, paying: Trade: Union contributions at the rate of 2 per cent of their wages. The only exception regarding union membership was made in the case of men who were brought into the contract for periods of short duration mainly from the peasant districts for special work requiring little or no skill; 95 per cent of the men were members of the Building Trade Union. In this connection we have to point out that for all grades employed on this huge con- tract there was only one union, with the exception of the medi- cal and hospital staffs, who were members of the Medical Work- ers’ Union. The hours of labor were eight hours per day and a 48-hour wevk, with a fortnight’s holiday with pay. In‘ addition to which workers’ clubs, film performances, plays° and dramatic circle’ classes were provided at a very low price, together with all the conveniences: in connection with the holiday, health and special benefits provided by the unions referred to in another portion of the report. . No rents are paid by the workers employed for the use of the wooden houses erected on the job, food and fuel transport is paid for, but for lighting and rent there are no charges. For the maintenance of the hospitals and insurance con- vened for the purpose of-providing special benefits the equiva- lent of 16 per cent of the total wages bill of the contract is taken for the institutions. The workers subscribe monthly for newspapers and 11,000 copies of the monthly newspaper are purchased regularly. On making inquiries as to the salaries paid to the adminis- trative staff, we were informed that the chief engineer received 800 roubles per month and the five assistant engineers received 600 roubles per month. . The hospitals, schools, dispensary, and baths provided in connection with this huge electrical undertaking were in every way satisfactory and interesting to the members of the Dele- gation. : . xi A Visit to a General Engineering Shop ‘ A visit was paid to a very up-to-date engineering works at Kharkov, which appeared to be exceedingly well organized and contained apparently all up-to-date appliances and machinery, and was of very considerable extent. ' They were fully engaged in one large shop in building Diesel internal.combustion engines, many of them a very large size, and were putting the completed engines through very severe tests. 7 i In another shop were being made electric generators, the beds therefor and accessories. Many of the generators under construction were of very large type, including two being made to order of the Soviet for Turkestan. ; In another shop they were building in large quantities four cylinder motor tractors for agricultural work, and from the number under construction ft would appear that the output was a fairly large one. . .There were also under construction railway locomotive engines of quite a large design, eight wheel coupled with lead- ing and trailing free wheels, specially designed for heavy goods or mineral traffic, and the Delegation was informed that they were designed to draw a train of 1,500 tons under normal cir- cumstances, ‘ , : Two engines had been completed, one of which was painted and had an exceedingly fine appearance, ere In this shop also they had the most up-to-date machinery and many large scale machines, one of which was capable of cutting out five locomotive frames in one operation. "The Dele« gation was informed that they were completing about twelve locomotives per month, but that they had the capacity, if neces- sary, of turning out 18 per month. ’ ; ig All the shops attached to the works, together with yard space, covered a very considerable acreage, and they were still building yet another large shop at the time of the visit. * , .-With. the exception of the electricity works and the aero- plane works in. Moscow, the general up-to-dateness and’ effi- ciency of.this works surpassed anything so far seén during the Delegation’s visit to Russia. . i In conversation with the directing engineer the Delegation learned that under the Soviet power and the new system of work management the men were working exceedingly well, and when any special order waS received the men always exceeded the 1913 output. In the apprentices’ section there was one instructor to each 15 apprentices and working in a well-set-up part of the motor tractor building factory, the boys were busy making small accessories and tools, which were particularly well finished and very creditable to the young people. Several young women were noticed amonst the apprentices, who were being taught to make buckets, cans, and other liquid holding utensils. All the apprentices of both sections appeared to be quite cheerful and particularly interested in their work. Generally speaking, the Delegation was struck with the whole organization and fittings of this works and with the per- sonnel of the workpeople emptoyed there. ° xi A Visit to Aircraft Works A visit was paid by the Delegation to-the aircraft works. In these works, 1,800 workers are employed on wood and metal parts, except engines, which are either imported: or made at their own engine works in Moscow. All workers are members of the Metal Workers’ Union. The lavatory accommodation in the new premises is modern and a vast improvement on the old. This plant in 1920 consisted of three rather old buildings, and at the same time the workers’ share of corn was ground on the premises in a very old-fashioned apparatus. There is a most noticeable. improvement in things, though a great many parts are still done by hand in the absence of much-needed machinery. A very finely built factory is just on completion, the first, secand, and third floors being occupied by workmen. The fin- ished machines compare very favorably and are mainly of the D-H. 9 type. . : om dae! Here, as elsewhere, there does not appear to be any inten- tion to patch up the old building, but rather to rebuild entirely. In the small tubing works for landing bearers ordinary push cycles and a cycle radio machine are being manufactured. A worker has built a small machine which saves a vast amount of labor in the cutting and shaping of the small parts of the cooling apparatus and aircraft. There is a very fine set of schools where the lads are being taught (1) the Russian language; (2) physics, and the theory of engineering; (3) geography, etc. . There is also a (1) joinery apprentice shop; (2) blacksmith apprentice shop; (3) engineering and setting-out shop. Z All of these seem to have their full complement, there being 30 lads in the Jatter. : : , There is a very fine club close by and it is still under recon- struction and extension. The theater is a really well got up lace. ? . A huge building of the “Flat” type is now housing 620 families of metal workers. XIV A Visit to a Locomotive Running Depot The Delegation visited one of the locomotive depots attached to Moscow City. The shed was an old_one and conse- quently did not appeal to the eye as much as the latter-day depots of Great Britain with their excellent accessories. It was, however, quite up to the standard of the older depots in Great Britain, and the work appeared to be quite efficient, having regard to the lack of up-to-date appearance. During a conversation with the engineer in charge of the depot in his office, before touring the shed, thé Delegation was informed that the very high center of gravity of Russian loco- motives was conceived in jhe belief that a less strain was put on the frame of the engine in-rounding the sharper curves of the Russian railways. This high center of gravity struck us at once, as the fire-box foundation rests on the top of the framing bearing the axle boxes, whilst the smoke box is carried on a superstructure above the leading framework of the engine. Consequently, the boiler is raised several feet above the frame and necessitates rather long steam and exhaust pipes to and RUSSIA TODAY: Official Report of British Trade “Who Is British Dele HERBERT SMITH, J years president Yorksh! deration. President, M tion of Great Britain six president, 1907. Serve royal commissions.. Pr national Miners’ Comm of school, board, West R county council and othe for many years: Memb. ary committee, trades v . 1913-16, and general cx Appointed J, P. m 1915. tra) committee, ‘miners central committee, mix board, REN TILLETT,: gen of trade: uniions: since ot Dockers’ Union, owt from the Tea H Laborers’ Union b A pioneer of trade un nationally. Contested mentary elections. Ele Remained dockers’ gei until amalgamation to General Workers’ Unio ary of Political and In partment of Amalga Member of trades unio: eral council wince 192 parliamentary comm union congress, 1892-04 * 2 & JOHN TURNER, a socialist organizations timate with founders socialist thought, suc Morris, Belfort Bax, neers, Closely associa Kropotkin from 1886 1 to Russia in 1917. A ; hours legislation and f Assistants’ Union. C€ union from 1898-unti! general secretary afte in this position until 1 general. council, trades 1921; con to 1924 for period ‘to £ se8e JOHN BROMLEY, } of railway trade «uni many positions of tn pointment as branch sociated Society of Lo eers: and Fireman, 1 ganizing secretary of Secretary also of con Elected general secret 1914, Elected membe executive, 1920 and member of trades uni eral council, 1922-24. bor party deegatis t times candidate for 1924. Prominently as bor and socialist prop years, ae ALAN A. H, FIND United Patternmak« since 1893. Branch other offices. Electe eral secretary, execu 1913. Elected genera Formerly ‘treasurer, Shipbuilding Trades three years, subseq' president, at presen position. Elected to gress general ‘counci’ each year until 1924, September, 1925. ’. ¢ A. A. PURCELL ( gation). Member,” Union since 1891 mocratic federatic ber, Salford Borvus. years. Sectional ¢« quently organizer, f Parliamentary cand ford, 1910. Conteste 24, Elected 1923. S tor in co-operative ai Elected to general union congress, 1919 year. Elected by tra tional conference, ° president, President union congress. Vic eral council. Appoi American labor cons companied the deleg: 1920. aE