The Daily Worker Newspaper, August 29, 1925, Page 4

RUSSIA TODAY ¢ FE SPT NIR IED ES ATT = - peal for class solidarity on behalf of ae Page Four > . TEE RENEGADE |.W.W, DFFIGIAL TEARS’ DOWN ILD POSTER (Special to The Daily Worker) | MINNEAPOLIS, Minn., Aug. 27.— Newfeldt, the assistant organizer of | the local International Workers of| the World, refused to allow the hang- ing of the International, Labor De- fense poster on the walls of the I. W. W. hall. This poster carried an ap- the class war prisoners, regardless of affiliation. The International Labor Defense is a united front organization of all labor, to fight for the liberation of workers, imprisoned for their loyalty to the working class. No class con- scious worker can refuse unity for this. high and noble purpose. Nevertheless the local I. W. W. has duck THE DAILY WORKER degénerated to such a low level of | class consciousness that it put ftself in the position of sabotaging the re- lease of its own, as well as other, class war prisoners, This is a great dis- grace., We recognize no political dif- ferences with regard to class war pris- oners; they are all ours. This black spot upon the local I. W. W. must not remain. It is up to! the rank and file members to save the | revolutionary honor of the I. W. W.} Let it be understood once and for all time, that sabotage of class war | prisoners, is the blackest kind of} treason to the whole working class. | Workers Arrested as Aliens, OAKFIELD, N. Y., August 27— Twenty-two workers in United States Gypsum Co. mines are under arrest with others charged with being smug- gled aliens. Most of the workers are Italians and Poles and are said by immigration inspectors ,to have. en- tered the United States illegally from Canada. ARRESTS. TWO AS | Enlarge Soviet. {port and Import !Tirade Via Vienna}\ Austria | MOSCOW—(By Mail)—The Soviet F SPREADS papers note with satisfaction the fact i | that the negotiations betweén the So- | viet Trade Mission at Vienna and the MASS,, TEXTILE | STRIK PITTSFIELD, August 27— Two/| Austrian circles concerned on the pickets were arrested at the S. N, &| question of enlarging the Soviet ex- C. Russell Mfg. Co mill when employ-| Port and import trade via Vienna ers attempted to open for work. Both| (which would tend to make the Aus- strikers were charged with disturbing | rian capital an important point of the peace. Thomas J. Regan, United | Soviet foreign trade), are favorably Textile Workers’ Union organizer, is | Prostessing. in Pittsfield from headquarters in| The papers also point out that it is Lowell to aid organization of strik-| being generally recognized'in Vienna ers. itself that the materialigatioh of such Workers walked out of five mills|@ Project would benefit, Austria, too, | which declared 10 per cent wage| being in the interest of the develop- cuts, Employers met and decided to| ment and consolidation of Austrian hold out against the workers, Massa-| 2ational economy. chusetts is sending a member of he state board of arbitration to Pittsfield, chin tho neither party in the strike has re-| If you want to see, the Com- quested internyention. The factories | munist movement grow—get a sub cyt are completely tied up. USE U. S. NAME TO BREAK RIFFS _ TROOPS MORALE But Moroccans Take Im- portant Post PARIS, France, Aug. 27.—The Riff- ian soldiers have broken thru the Spanish lines between Tangier and Tetuan and captured the vital linking road on which El Fondak, the Spanish- French army camp, is one of the prin- cipal outposts, it is learned here. The French are broadcasting propa- ganda that the American aviators are now at the front. The French are informing the Moroccans that this is only the advance guard of a large ing the morale of the natives. Par ar) Protest Spanish Dictatorship. NEW YORK, Aug. 27.—(FP)— “Spain's present government is based upon the most flagrant negation of the people’s rights,” declares the Cata- lonian Cultural Committee’s overseas lettter from Madrid. “In September, 1923, a group of insurgent generals seized by force the government of |Spain and formed a military dictator- ship, after suppressing the constitu- tional guarantees, violating the most elementary rights of man and destroy- ing every vestige of personal free- dom. The right of criticism is non- existent. The last general elections were held in the spring of 1923. Par- ! liament has been suppressed.” Dic- tator Primo de Rivera’s Riffian cam- paign in Morocco is attacked and it is stated that 21,000 men were killed, wounded and jmprisoned in the west- ern zone, Build the DAILY WORKER | for the DAILY WORKER. American army, in the hope of break: | with subs. (Continued from Y esterday’s Daily Worker ) 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 trade union leaders concluded that foreign trade is increasing, and that in agriculture and industry the level of production is being raised. The finances have been placed on a sound basis, the report showed. Harm is being 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 the position and activities of Trade Unions under the Soviet system.” vi Visit to the Liebknecht Salt Mine at Bakhmut The depth of the mine is 560 yards; the number employed on the surface and underground is 130 on day-shift and 100 on night-shift. They have a six hour day underground, including winding time, and 46 hours per week, including meal times, on the surface. The salt in this mine is 160 ft. thick. The output is 16,700 tons per month. The Delegation was informed that another bore-hold has been put down with the intention of sinking a further salt mine and when they had bored 290 ft. in salt, their drill broke and the bore-hold was carried no further, as there was no large demand for salt at that particular time, they hav- ing many other salt deposits of different types in various parts of Russia. They have a wonderful method of mining this salt. They use a machine of Italian invention with a bore of 2 ft. 6 in. in diameter and 4 ft. 6 in. in length, weighing about 15 cwt. Each set of men, consisting of three, ean cut on an average ten of these 4 ft. 6 in. blocks (2 ft. 6 in. in diameter) per shift. Most of this large bed of salt is got without explosives of any character, except in getting the top bed, where they had arranged a round of shots to be fired when we were there, 50 in number, and a, tremendous amount of salt was blown down through this process. This mine is ventilated by natural ventilation and is. very cool. The workers work under favorable conditions. The mine has been operated for the last 45 years. The Delegation found that the workmen are graded by a Committee of workmen at the mine. They have eight grades. Commencing at Grade 4, youths of 18 and over, 18 to 20 roubles per month. In English money this represents from 40s. to 45s. This is a guaranteed wage for 18 days per calendar month. Grade 10 consists of miners or drillers at a guaranteed wage of 39 roubles per month, which means in English money 87s. But they have also a system in all grades whereby they can improve wages by increased productivity. We found that some of these miners or drillers earn up to 80 roubles per month, which means £8 17s. 6d. Grade 11 is the foreman or “deputy” in mining parlance in Great Britain. One deputy looks after ten men. He has about 50 roubles per month (£5 12s.). In the stables were found ten horses well cared for and in good condition. After being down the mine three hours, the Delegation came to the surface and visited the winding-engine house to look at the machinery, which was very antiquated. The wages received by the engine-winder and the hours he worked were found to be 39 roubles per month, which means in English money 87s., the hours being six per day, including meal times. The, Delegation was satisfied that this mine could be won- derfully developed and the output raised by at least 75 per cent, but owing to lack of capiisl they have to carry on as best they can; and repeat here what has been said in regard to coal mines, in the lack of machinery or with regard to the antiquated plant, a wonderful avenue of trade for unemployed engineers in Great Britain could be found in the Don district alone. But with all the difficulties the Russians have to encounter, every one from the highest official to the youngest worker seemed to be doing his best, the motto being: We work in this mine for the benefit of the community and ourselves, and not for that of private enterprise. In conclusion, the Delegation was satisfied that this was the finest salt mine that had been seen in Russia or elsewhere. Ix Visit to Electric Power Station Under State ownership, electric power for the whole of the Moscow Province has now been centralized in six stations. The Mogess Station, No. 1, which supplies electric power © for the city and many of the local factories, also for lighting streets and houses, was visited by the Delegation. This station was considered before the Revolution to be one of the most up-to-date generating: stations in Hurope: There ig very little difference in the general appearance of the powér house and boiler houses as compared with pre-war days. A new turbine has been erected within the last six months, and a Babcock and Wilcox oil-fueled tubular boiler is in the process of erection. The English erector stated that this is the largest type which ‘UNION Thru Courtesy of the International Pub- “lishers Go. nessun, for the use of tramways and other purposes, show dn increase of 30 per cent for 1924 over similar figures for the previous year, and the requirements for industrial purposes have already increased above the pre-war level. The ayerage price charged for power has now fallen to 9.75 kopecks per unit,.as compared with 9.41 kopecks in 1913. The existing tariff is as follows: LIGHTING, : Kopecks per kilo. House lighting 16 Theatre and places of amusement. 25 Shops and private enterprises..... 75 POWER, Tramways . 3.8 Large factories + from 4to5 Small factories . .. from 6 to7 The stores appeared to be well-stocked with supplies, most of which have been recently imported from Germany. The stock of $0,000 new meters was specially noticeable. These are of German manufacture and all bear description plates in the Russian language. The Delegation was informed that, although the’ staff of workers has greatly increased with the increase of power out- put, the higher administration has_remained at the same level, but the total amount paid for administration had decreased by nationalization, There has been no stoppage in this power station, which has worked continuously all through the Revolution, What is known as the higher administration is chosen by the factory,‘Trade Union subject to the approval of the Central Committee. Thé usual books are kept showing profit and loss, a special: department deals entirely with statistics, while the buying and (stores departments function as usual, but all pur- chases are-made through the State purchasing organizations. It is; however, in the organization of the workers that con- ditions aré ‘entirely changed. A special office with a staff consisting of the president, vice- president, bookkeeper and two clerks is allotted to the factory branch committee of their Trade Union, known as FabZavKom. As explained elsewhere, the members of this committee are elected from all the workers in the building who belong to the same union irrespective of their actual trade or profession. This organization deals entirely with the administration of the work- ers. It engages and dismisses workers, arbitrates in disputes, and is responsible for their housing and general welfare. The members 6f this commission may be of any political opinion. In conjunction with this committee, however, works a spe- cial commission formed of the Communist workers injthe fac- tory. This commission, which is really a Communist commit- tee, is known as the “yacheika” (cell) or nucleus. The yacheika is an entirely separate organization with a special’ staff and offices. Its function is to see that FabZavKom takes-no action that is contrary to the tenets of Bolshevism as laid down in the laws and regulations of the State. Any workers having griev- ances against FabZavKom may apply to this body, which can arbitrate, or, at its own discretion, report to higher authorities. Housing has been effected by handing over to the workers large blocks of buildings in the surrounding streets which were formerly residential flats of the well-to-do class. Each worker is allowed 20 square archines (one archine, 29 in.) of floor space. A special house committee is elected by the residents in each block. This committee formulates regulations, which are sub- mitted to FabZavKom, and is responsible for the allotment of quarters, repairs, redecorations of the buildings, cleanliness, sanitation, and supervises the supply of water, lighting, and central heating in such buildings where this exists, Any mem- bers of this committee may visit the quarters of any resident. Incase of infringement of regulations, which the committee is ufable to deal with, it refers the matter to FabZavKom. Each tenant pays rent to the treasury of the committee,’ This rent is on a sliding scale according to the wage received the ten- ant, the minimum rent being ten kopecks per month per square sarjen. The committee is responsible for funds collected and expenditure on upkeep. i The Delegation visited some quarters chosen at.random by its members and scrupulous cleanliness was remarked in most of them. In many a considerable attempt at cothfort and * artistic decoration was noticed. Clean curtains hun from the windows and pictures decorated the walls. Most of the larger families occupied two rooms, with a kitchen partitioned off. The lavatories were visited and found to be clean and in sani- tary condition. A vw The Delegation then visited the children’s creghe. This consisted of five large rooms, which constituted two.play rooms, a dining room, a kitchen and a rest room. Mothersawho are at work leave their children in this institution for the whole day. On arrival, each child is supplied with clean overalls and his towel hangs on a special peg marked with his name. Organized games and kindergarten instruction are given to the children. They receive their meals, and the younger children are made to rest between sheets in little beds for a specified period each day. All the children appeared to be extremely happy and well- cared for; an exhibition of the older children’s drawings and little works of art showed that very considerable “interest is taken in training and amusing them. The institution is visited by the medical staff twice a week, when every child 18 examined. A well-equipped technical school has beeen in rated in which lectures are given to the workers on the th ical side of their profession. A library of standard works is ayailable for readers. One very noticeable feature was a dis; of shects and tables giving all available particulars in detail dealing with profit and loss, scale of wages, comparative tables of produc- tion, estimates and diagrams for new schemes 5 e- ments, and all the st i g the financial dn trative organ ' THE OFFIC IAL REPORT OF THE BRITISH TRADE DELEGATION TO SOVIET RUSSIA Copyright in the United States by the International Publishers Co, All Rights Reserved, Copyright by the Trades Union Congress General Council in Great Britain. of the inner machinery ‘of all departments of the concern for which he is working. A large private house formerly belonging to a wealthy Mos- cow merchant has been handed over to the workers as a Social Club. This consists of a meeting hall, library, reading rooms, and full club accommodation. No alcoholic liquor is allowed on the premises, and it was noticeable that in certain rooms you were requested not to smoke or talk. \ The club was well furnished and extremely clean. The whole system of administration of this power station and the condition and pay of the workers may be taken as typify- ing the ultimate aim of all nationalized industrial undertakings in Russia. In this particular instance, it has certainly reached a higher level than is found in many other factories. Several factors have undoubtedly contributed towards this result. In the first place, it must be remembered that no stop- page has taken place at this station during the whole period of the. Revolution, and work has been continually carried on, although often under very tragic circumstances. In the second place, all grades of workers in electrical works were formerly of a. much higher type, both mentally and socially, than those found in many other industrial undertakings. The nature of their work required greater skill and order. Electrical power stations were a later development in Russia, and more care was therefore shown in their upkeep and general appearance. The buildings and the general accommodation were more up-to-date; consequently, the general conditions of the worker were nearer to those we are accustomed to find in Europe. It is therefore evident that, in these undertakings the first DETROIT BAKERY BOSSES ATTEMPT TO KILL PICKET Badly Hurt, But Goes Back on Strike Duty (By Worker Correspondent.) DETROIT, Mich., Aug. 27.—Joseph Blaszezyk, Anthony Jankowski, and. Henry . Erenfeit, co-partners in the Holbrook Bakery, against which the Polish local of the Cake, Confection- ery and Bakery Workers’ Internation- al Union is carrying on a strike, made an armed attack on Comrade Wis- niewski, business agent of the Polish Local. The attack was carefully planned, the thug-bosses and their man having waited for Wisniewski from 7 to 10 a. m, on Frederick avenue, between Jos. Campau and Mitchell, not far from his home, When they caught sight of him coming ! a Ford sedan, they ran their car alongside of his from the opposite direction, forcing him to the curb, and then breaking the glass in his car, began beating him; Blaszezyk using a knife, Jankow- ski a hammer, Erenfeit a wrench, and Sztynelski a club. Attempt to Murder Him, The gang slit Wisniewski’s cheek with a knife and beat him on the back, arms and forehead, chipping out a piece of the skull. Blaszczyk urged the other thugs on, saying, “Kill him! Kill him! He will then bother us no longer.” The passersby, who finally rescued Wisniewski from the thugs were so incensed at the outrage, that they probably would have metted out just- ice on the spot to the thugs if the police hadn’t arrived and rescued them. The police arrested three of the thugs, while the fourth one, EHren- feit, got away and was arrested the next day, All of them were later re- leased under bond. Returns. to Strike Duty. Wisniewski was taken to a doctor, who had to take seven stitches to sew up the wound in his cheek. After treatment Wisniewski was taken home. af The cause of the attack was the effectiveness with which the strug- gle was carried on by the workers against the’ Holbrook Bakery by the workers under the leadership of Com- signs of revival under the new system will be most apparent. ig Visit to the Goojin Iron and Steel Works This factory consists of smelting works, tron foundry, pro- duction of wire nails, nuts, bolts, pins, and iron and steel rods, and was built 25 years ago. Over 4,000 hands are employed. Here the general conditions both in plant and machinery, organ- ization, and the situation of the'worker were certainly far below the standard in Europe. A différent type of worker is employed to those in electrical stations. A great deal of the machinery is out-of-date, and much of it running under conditions of dis- repair which are apparent even to the casual observer. ' In 1923, the factory, although it supplied one of the country’s important needs, worked at a loss. During the past ten monthts, however, considerable-improvement has been made, and a profit balance for that period is already shown. The organization of the Clubs, Creches, and Technical Schools has been carried out on the same lines as at the elec- trical stations. The accommodation, however, is not so good, although cleanliness and order in the Clubs, Creches, and Tech- nical Schools was quite up to standard. A neighboring nunnery has been requisitioned for housing some of the workers. The accommodation appeared to be ade- quate, but order, cleanliness, pride of possession was compara- tively lacking as compared with the workers at the electrical station. This is undoubtedly accounted for by the originally lower standard of education among the class from which these men are drawn. It was, however, evident that serious attempts are being made to raise the domestic standard of these people. XI Visit to the Volhof River Electricity Scheme, Volhofstroy The members of the British Delegation to Russia visited this Electrical Power Station which is being constructed for the purpose of utilizing the tidal power of the Volhof River in order to generate electricity intended in the first instance to supply electric power in connection with the domestic, industrial, and transport needs of Leningrad, with the possibility that power would also be transmitted for use in the agricultural and rural areas between Volhofstroy and the city. The enormous power station being constructed was an indication of the determina- tion of the Russian Government to utilize all the powers and agencies at their disposal to meet Russian requirements. The scheme was first discussed in 1902. The plans were prepared in 1911, but the work did not start until 1919 as part of the Lenin scheme for the electrification of Russia. We were informed by the chief engineer in charge of the job that the principal obstacle to its development had. been the opposition and destructive tactics of the Steam Power interests in Lenin- grad and other centers. It was Lenin, we were informed, who in 1917 insisted that the scheme should be proceeded with. The official date fixed for commencement being July, 1918, was de- layed for various reasons connected with Civil War and internal trouble. It is anticipated that the scheme will be completed in 1926, and by that time, electric power will be delivered to Lenin- grad at a very low price. The scheme is estimated to cost approximately 70,000,000 roubles, in our money about £8,000,000 sterling. This cost will include the erection of the power station and the cost of the plant for distribution. The number of men employed in con- nection with this huge undertaking at the time we visited the plant was about 11,000. During our visit of inspection We saw these ‘nen employed in the various sections of the work utilizing electric cars, mak- ing concrete and building electric conveyors; it was estimated that about 4,000,000 cubic feet of timber was being used in con- nection with the building. In going through the encampment erected for the purpose of housing the workers, we were interested to note the efforts that were being made to make life bearable for those employed by the provision of concert rooms, cijemas and theatre perform- nees at which prominent artists from Leningrad were employed pm time ‘by, amateur talent trained. fro evainl ontin ils in s rade Wisniewski. The bosses, finding themselves powerless against the de- termined stand of the workers, want. _ ed to at any cost rid themselves of the leader of the struggle. To their disappointment, however, Comrade Wisniewski, tho bandaged up like a soldier wounded in the war, got up the next day and went about his work in leading the strug- gle. The outrage against their leader has so incensed the union bakers that they are determined to fight until the owners of the Holbrook Bakery grants all of their former demands, but also settle with Wisniewski for the harm done him. DELEGATION OF GERMAN WORKERS PRAISES SOVIET Good Condition of. the Workers Suprising MOSCOW, (By Mail.)— Individual groups of the German delegation to Soviet Russia are continuing their study journie&, At present one group is in the Urals, a second in Georgia, a third in the Crimea, a fourth in Cherson and a fifth in the Donetz Basin. The members of the Donets group, Schlesinger and Menichardt declared that the situation of the mining work- ers had made an extremely deep im- pression upon them, for nowhere else in the.world had miners such rights and privileges. The living conditions of the miners are advancing rapidly in comparison with the pre-war level. In this connection the sanatoria and workers’ rest homes were exemplary. The sanatoria and welfare institn- tions in the Crimea where thousands of workers and peasants are recover- ing their health and strength made a particularly deep impression upon the delegates there, , The workers’ health insurance, the factories and the trade unions have all their own sanatoria where the sick and over-worked employes recov- er at the cost of the trade unions, workers’ health insurance, etc. ‘The delegates thought such a thing on such a large scale was unthinkable in any capitalist country and could not Possibly be carried out, The delegation in the Urals was particularly surprised by the compara- tive speed with which economic re.’ construction is taking place, despite the destruction brought about by the civil wars, despite the situation of the factories from a technical view point. The German colonists on the Volga are making great preparations for the reception of the delegation, If you want to thoroughly un. derstand Communism—study it, Send for a le of Bil Comes “4