The Daily Worker Newspaper, September 5, 1925, Page 4

Page Four Serer ea LAWSON’S WILL SHOWS CONTROL OF CHURCHES BY BIG BUSINESS, LEFT A FORTUNE TO PREACHERS’ BOSSES By LELAND OLDs, (Federated Press Staff Correspondent) How great wealth rivets its control on the workers is revealed in the will of Victor F. Lawson, deceased owner of the Chicago Daily News. Law- son leaves a $1,300,000 share of his estate to the Chicago Congregational Missionary and Extension Society. Investigation discloses that this pious name conceals a holding-company exercising control over scores of churches thru its manipulation of the ecclesiastical feedbag. Lawson's will further provides that the society devote the income from $300,000 of this $1,300,000 fund to the New England Congregational church of Chicago, but only “so long as, int : fonary and Extension Sqaejety” is a conservative business ~organization whose affairs are directed, by a group of substantial business and) profession- al men of the Chicago area,” the so* ciety proclaims in its 42nd annual report (1925). This conservative busi- ness body, which receives Lawson's largest legacy, extends its tentacles far beyond the single church designat- ed in the will. Last year it gave cash to 43 churches. The power of the so- ciety’s board of \directors over such churches is described in its constitu- tion as follows: Big Business Gets Sole Power. “Absolute power rests with it to grant or withhold aid in the case of any church or mission. It possesses power to advise churches as to prob- THE DAILY; WORKER - grees has hung $122,000 in mbgtgages round the necks of churches*in’ their build- ing programs. It holdg, title itself to 16 churches or pari pouse: sent of .the board of. feetors,”” In addition to subsi the society The job of the officers ind directors is “to convert the machinery and re- sources of the society inta an active agency for the ghristiaptaths of the masses of, this city’ Working class sections get chief attention’ And “the strongest and most impelling reason” for this work, according to the so- ciety’s report,, is because “the securi- ty and peace of individuals and the family, the safety and perpetuity of institutions cannot rest ultimately up- on the protection of the police and |the courts, nor upon education and the judgment of a majority of the trustees of said Chicago Congregation- al Missionary and Extension Society, such payments shall be a wise use of the money.” Fired For Radicalism. Recently the minister of this church let some members of a radical labor organization use the premises. He is no longer its minister. Lawson has provided that if this church won't be good in the future, it will forfeit $15,000 income a year. “The Chicago Congregational Miss- lems of federation or union with oth- | business prosperity.” | Phe object of er churches, their removal\to other |the society is evidently, to save the locations or the sale of their prop- | existing social order. . ,, erty. No church receiving aid from| No member of a chnreh accepting the society or intending to ask from|the society’s doles gap sit on the the society shall take steps to secure |board of directors. In .other words, a minister without the advice and con- these kept churches hayg no civic sta- * tus in the councils of ,their, mast Just as their spiritual leaders are sub- ject to the veto of the society’s purse strings. FRANCO-BELGIAN LABOR SHOWS APPRECIATION OF WORKERS’ REPUBLIC MOSCOW, Sept. 3—(Tass)—The Franco-Belgium labor delegation ad- dressed a letter to the Leningrad Soviet, once more extending their deep. appreciation and thanks for the warm and cordial welcome ac- corded. They greatly admired, the dele- gatés wrote, the careful and loving manner in which the Russian work- ers managed to save objects of art and those valuable historically and preserve them for the working class. In conclusion, the authors also point out that they were the most favor- ably impressed by the homes of rest for workers and peasants, Scotland Yard Foiled. LONDON, Sept. 3—The name of Prince Ahmed Seif Ed Din is mention- ed in whispers at Scotland Yard for it is a delicate matter and one that the sleuths do not care to discuss, for Scotland Yard has been completely! baffled by the disappearance of the prince. Prince Ahmed, who is the’ brother of King Fuad of Egypt, disappeared from a recreation pier in Hastings, after having spent nearly a quarter of a century as inmate of an English asylum, after an affair in Zgypt which led to charges against the prince for attempting to murder his brother, the present king. When Prince Ahmed disappeared there also disappeared with him an asylum attendant, RUSSIA TODAY (Continued from Yesterday'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, fen the prison system,” says the report. Regarding the trade unions and | labor conditions, the report states, “The Delegation were much imp: d by the position and activities of Trade Unions under the Soviet system.’* The report then described labor regulations, co-operatives, wages, and told of visits to various industrial works, The general conclusion on labor con- ditions reached by the commission was tkat, “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 . 5 4 Wherever possible the worker receives free quarters» with _heating, water, and light in the neighborhood of his work. In the event of quarters being unavailable, he receives rent money to the value of 10 per cent for a bachelor and 20 per cengifor a family man of the wages paid. The industry and Trade{Unions 32 carry all the expenses entailed in the upkeep of the necessary | # ‘schools, clubs, etc. These consist of the usual institutions-and organizations found all over the industrial areas in Russia at the present time. In Baku, owing to the conditions and the class of worker employed, they are not at present quite upjito the standard of those found in other large centers. The teghnical schools, however, at which the worker can learn the more ad- vanced stages of his trade. are very well equipped, and“@ great deal of trouble has taken over them. The usual regulations regarding childhood and motherhood ‘ welfare are enforced on the oilfields as elsewhere in Russia. f At the village of Mardakhan, about eight miles from the : Balachani Fields, a sanatorium and rest house has beep organ- ized for the workers, as well as a similar institution in the refin- ery town at Baku. Housing Housing accomodation on the oilfields, where land is ex- tremely valuable, has always been a very serious question, and in this respect the position of the workers was in many ways worse than in any other parts of Russia. Men were herded to- gether in large barracks with very little accomodation and Sanitary arrangements. This has been taken seriously in hand, but the improvement can only be gradual. A garden city, con- sisting of some 60 or 70 houses, has been built outside the Bala- chani flelds. ‘Twenty-five large buildings are in the process of erection on the hills surrounding the Bibi Eybat Field. A great many of the old barrack accomodation have been destroyed, and 3,000 houses have been repaired. The position, however, still leaves a great deal to be desired. At present, 22 per cent of the working population live in the town, 12.7 per cent at the refin- eries, 55 per cent on the oilfields, and the rest in their own native houses in villages round about Baku. I.—A Visit to the Grosny Oilfields H While in the Caucasus the Delegation visited Grosny. It found that housing under the Soviet Government compared well ‘with the dilapidated and insanitary housing of workers under ivate enterprise. Under the old system most of the workers had only one room to live and sleep in. Under the new system they have a living room, 15ft. by 15ft., a kitchen 12ft. by 10ft., bedroom 12ft. by 12ft., bathroom 6ft. by 5ft., and a separate water closet 6ft. by 3ft.; the height of the rooms is 11ft. 8ins. ‘Such a dwelling accomodates a man and wife and three children. construction is of brick, with a tiled roof; these house are in locks of four, standing in about 14-acre of ground. Heating, electric light, and water are supplied free, and the workers on ‘this oilfield pay no rent. _ The scale of wages is the same as on the Baku oilfields, but the conditions of life are better, owing to the surroundings. Wo- men are paid the same wage as adult male workers. This field is of later origin than the Baku fields, and is sit- uated some distance from the town and the railway. The roads are in a bad condition and transport difficult. However, the lay-out of the field under the new system has proved simpler than in Baku, as more free space is available. The production from gushers has considerably decreased. With the systematic working of the fields, especially of the new area, however, the production received from pumping and bal- ing has improved considerably as the effect of increased activity in drilling, and as the results of improvements in centralization which have been carried out during the last two years. During the year 1923, 18,500 sajens were drilled, and 9614 millions of poods of oil received. The production for the year 1924 is 103 million, and 30,000 sajens have been drilled; the estimated production for next year is 120 million poods. From this field a particularly high quality of benzine (pet- rol) is obtained, of which six million poods were produced in 1923 and ten million poods in 1924. The estimated’ production of this product from 1926 is 15 million poods. : The financial outlook of these fields is most satisfactory. ure. Thru Courtesy of the International Pub- . lishers Co. De on housing and reconstruction, was entirely covered by sales of oil during the year: The expenditure for 1925 is estimated at £4,500,000, and for 1926, £6,000,000; at the normal rate of in- crease in production and drilling activity, this should be fully covered. The facilities for exporting products both as regards their transport and freight charges will be very considerable when the construction of the pipe line to Novorossisk on the Black Sea has been completed. This work is already in hand. Ill.—Visit to Baku Co-operatives While at Baku the Delegation had the opportunity of visit- ing the miners’ wholesale co-operative store. This store, which was only established a few years ago, is in the form of a long goods shed with a bank for delivery and despatch. It is divided into departments for grocery, drapery, etc. Everything was very simply arranged, and the warehousemen are able to take from the shelves goods required by the different branch stores. There are three co-operative societies in Baku, The Cen- tral, the Miners’ (already mentioned), and the “Azerbaijan,” which supplies the outlying villages. Each society has,a whole- sale warehouse, and altogether there are 100 branch; stores in the city. ? The first co-operative formed in Baku was in 1914. At one branch store visited, 5,000 grocery customers are served daily and other customers proportionately. In the city of’ Baku there are altogether 150,000 members of the various co-Opérative so- cieties. This rapidly-growing Co-operative Movement is easily accounted for by the very primitive condition of a very large number of small private shops. The private shops aré very un- clean, the goods displayed in a most disorderly fashion, and very dirty. Of the goods sold by all retail stores, 75 per cent, is pro- cured through the wholesale co-operative society and 25 per cent is bought privately. It is claimed that these co-operative societies have kept down the prices, and are so able to compete with the private trader. 6 It was found to be one of the conditions of employment at co-operative stores was that the employe must be;.a member of the union. As none of the branch stores in Baku employ more than 50 employes, there are no shop committees. .Andelegate, however, is appointed,whose duty it is to collect:the contribu- tions of the members. A general committee of the union carries on the work. ee The impression made on the Delegation was that the co- operative societies are steadily ousting the private trader, and that the consequent benefit to the public both as regards price and cleanliness is undoubted. , VI.—Visit to Tiflis Co-operatives te At Tiflis a visit was paid to the office of the “All-Russian Union of Soviet and Commercial Employes at the Palace of Labor. The Delegation saw one of the numerous clubs estab- lished for the recreation of the members, also a school for the children of the members of the Trade Union. The children from 14 to 18 years of age are boarded and lodged, and. there were 200 scholars. There is a labor law that no children should be allowed to work till 14 years of age, and then only for four hours a day till they are 16. The Delegation was informed that unfortunately the law with respect to young children is not regularly enforced, and that many children are still employed from 7 to 8 years of age, though this, strictly speaking, is illegal. There is at present no general compulsory education, since the authorities have not the means to provide schools for teaching for all the children. It is this fact which makes the schools opened by the Trade Unions of such importance, since they are providing for the children of the members who otherwise would not be able to get these educational facilities. The Union also has a typewriting school, which was visited. Here, again, no fee is charged for teaching, and there are four rel: of scholars during the day. 3 In the summer time boating and all kinds of sports are pro- vided free to all members of the Union. Arrangements were made for a visit to a number of co-operative and ofivate stores. The United Workers’ Co-operative Society has over a hundred stores in Tiflis and a membership of 20,000. At one store visited over 3,000 customers are served daily. In addition to the United Workers’ Co-operative Society there is a military co-operative store with 5,000 membérs; the Transport Workers Union also has a co-operative store with 11,519 members. There are two large agricultural co-operative societies, one for purchasing machinery, seed, manures, and all accessories for peasant farming; and the other for retail supply of all the domestic requirements. These societies have about 3,000 mem- bers. There is also a small general co-operative society with about 3,000 members. whi A visit was paid to the Central Office of the nited Work- ers’ Co-operative Society. This society has a general committee of 15 members, three of whom are experts. From this body an executive committee of five is chosen, three ordinary members and two experts. By experts is meant in this case the heads of the banking and finance departments. The society was started in 1921 with a very small entrance fee. This has now been raised to 5 roubles; the membership has reached 20,000 and is rapidly increasing. In October, 1921, the turnover was only 37,000 roubles, but by the middle of 1924 had reached 800,000 roubles. The productive workers belong’ to their ap- propriate union, while the sales people and clerk members of the All-Russian Union of Soviet and Commerdiait Employes. The number of clerks and administrators is greatly in excess of what would be considered necessary in England for the same sort of business. In these co-operative societies the grocery and provision departments have the largest turnover; the next in aseiaine is the bakery and confectionery, and, thirdly, the At Tiflis, as in Baku, the general untidiness of the small private shop was very noticeable, while the co-operative stores rE té THE OFFICIAL REPORT OF THE BRITISH TRADE UNION DELEGATION TO SOVIET RUSSIA Copyright in the United States by the International Publishers Co, Ali Rights Reserved. Copyright by the Trades Union Congress General Council in Great Britain, V.—Tiflis Electricity Scheme Tiflis, like other towns in Russia, is to have a great elec- tricity power station. Plant that will harness 36,000 horse power from the River Kura is now being erected. The stream curves round a bend under the ancient metropolis of Georgia, a city which, looked at from a distance, appears as a cluster of houses and roofs browned and grayed by the sun’s rays. The distance of the power station from the city is ap- proximately twelve miles. It is reached by a road that has been traversed by the oldest tribes of men, who tramped for centuries to and from this cradle of the world, whose ancient history is still vividly coloring civilization. Along this road still travel, as in the many ages past, oxen, lumbering and slow, relentlessly eating up distance and time, goaded and cajoled by drivers who still beat and curse them, along this mud-rutted road, as did the drivers of a thousand years ago; while flocks of turkeys, droves | . of pigs, skinny and hump-backed, long-haired sheep, are driven in endless procession to the markets of Tiflis. . Now the miracle is happening. The powers of the river are to be gathered in a huge dam, their wild strength is to be con- trolled and utilized, and modern civilization has come to restrict these wild waters and turn their energy into a stream of useful industrial activity. The energies of nature captured by the Rev- olution will be conserved for industrial purposes, and Tiflis will grow into a modern city, with light for its surrounding villages and free power for its production. Already the work has made such progress that the dam is nearing completion. It will form a huge basin, harnessing the surging waters, which will accumulate in prodigious numbers millions of gallons and tons of weight. The formation of the dam is as of three fingers; the left avenue will be utilized for the purpose of constructing a huge canal dug out of the rock, faced with smooth cement, and having a drop of 25 meters, which will permit of a volume and velocity of water what will concentrate into 36,000 horse-power. £ The machinery is already in position and a perfect plant has been gathered together. The undertaking has another twelve months to run before completion. Three bugy, shifts are em- ‘ploying approximately ‘a thousand workers in each shift. The men are housed in the best dwelling accomodation obtainable for such undertakings. A hospital is erected, where the latest and: most efficient medical and surgical aid is obtainable. Bathing is a great feature; some 400 men obtain their daily bath with an ample supply of water for cleansing: purposes. These bath-houses are an object-lesson in sanitary equipment to even our most humane contractors. : The wages rise from a rouble a day to 4 roubles; the food is obtained on a co-operative basis and is cheap. Efforts are being made on a practical and effective scale for the entertain- ment, training, and even the education of the workers employed. The Delegation saw a most industrious and orderly set of men in full and willing co-operation. ‘ pf The scheme is a part of that suggested by Lenin for the electrification of Russia in general and industrial centers in par- ticular. The results of this electric power will be the saving of transport and the conservation of the timber supply. One can see the miracle of industrial improvement slowly evolving and adding to the civilization of Tiflis a great and lasting benefit to all concerned, VI.—Visit to the Labor Palace, Tiflis The premises occupied by the Trade Union Movement in Tiflis, a well appointed building situated in the main through- fare of the city, was formerly utilized as a hotel and restaurant. During the British occupation of the Caucasus, it was occupied by British soldiers for living purposes. It is now the headquar- ters of the Executive of local unions and also the Executive Council of the Georgian Trade Unions. It contains three floors, a large hall for meetings, the top floor being used for hotel pur- poses in which accomodation is provided for Trade Union del- egates visiting Tiflis from other parts of Georgia. In Georgia there are 105,000 members of Trade Unions out of a total population of 21% millions. There were 21 local unions in Tiflis with a membership of approximately 50 per cent of the total membership in Georgia, and 17,500 organized railwaymen, 7,000 of these being employed in railway shops. There are 600 textile workers, 13,600 members of unions representing teachers, clerks, and other non-industrial workers. Transport workers including porters at the station are also well organized. The Trade Union organization is controlled by a Presidium consisting of 15 members—five members of the Presidium re- siding in Tiflis and ten engaged in the work\of organization. The membership of Trade Union organization consists of supporters both of the Menshevik and Bolshevik Parties, no pressure is excercised and no terrorism exists as between Bol- shevik and Menshevik members of the Unions. Non-partisan workmen can also become members of Trade Unions, and if elected are allowed to hold official positions in the organizations. In response to inquiries it appeared that many members of the unions have left the Menshevik Party and are now accepted in the Trade Union Movement as non-partisan members, also that officials of the unions formerly working under Menshevik rule are now working in the same capacity under Soviet rule. There has been no system of dismissals of members of the Menshevik Party from Executive Councils under the Soviet reg- ime; and leather workers, clothing workers, and clerks were still retaining in their membership Menshevik adherents. Under Menshevik rule in-Georgia Bolshevik members of Trade Unions were excluded from the participating in the advantages of rest houses, sanatoria, etc. Rest houses are now thrown open and utilized freely by Menshevik ‘members of the Trade Union or- ganizations, in. cases it was declared the toleration aes to the members of Trade Unions had formerly bee! rere dhesanta bi SommenciensmremmarencseTeraen 66 Samar Neate neuer ie Cnn a tN NLR EAR AARNE ERECT NT ES INTERNATIONAL DAY OF YOUTH INN, Y, SEP, 11 Hold Celebration at Webster Hall NEW YORK, Sept. 3—The eleventh International Day of Youth will be celebrated by the working youth of New York with a powerful demonstra- tion to be held Friday evening, Sept. 11, at Webster Hall, 119 East 11th St., New York City. In its call to the working youth of New York the Young Workers League has pointed out the awful conditions under which the working youth and the working class as a whole must en- dure under capitalism, the dangers that are continually arising and fac- ing the international proletariat, and has called upon them to arise in a mighty demonstration on this day de- voted to the militant youth proletar- iat. The program for this demonstration will be such as deserves the day. Prominent speakers will address the masses of young workers who will answer the call of the Y. W.L. There will also be a splendid musical pro- gram, recitations, tableaux, a play by the Juniors and'so on. Not the least striking part of the affair will be the remarkable decoration of the hall as befits an occasion like International Youth Day. yf Young workers! Demonstrate on International Youth Day! Show your solidarity with the young workers of the world and with the whole working class!! Don’t forget! Friday, Sept. 11, at Webster Hall, 119 East 11th St., New York City, Build the DAILY WORKER with subs. | Your Union iMeeting | First Friday, Sept. 4, 1925, Sone and Cont., 3420 W.. Roose. velt. 175 W. Washington Broom Makers, 810 W. Harri 5 Building ‘Trades Council, 180" Wi; Washington. Cai ers, 175 W. Washington. Ss, 2705 W. 35th St. Dist. Council, 180 W. ington St. 4339 S. Halsted St. 2901 W. Monroe St. 141 W. Lake St. Firemen ard anginetia’ eae Halsted St. ng 3 Giass Workers, Emily and Marsh. Hod | Carriers, Monroe and Peoria Ladies’ Garment Worke joint Board, 928° W" Van Buren’ St, 83 Machinists, 113 S. Ashi: s Machinists, 113 §. Ashi. vd. Painters, 2345 So. Kedzie Ave. Painters, School and e Painters: 3140 Indiana Aver” wv* Painters, 3140 In Pattern ‘Maker Plumbers, 9251 + Fi ve. Rallwa y, carmen, jillage Hall, Kole “Railwa ‘Carmen, Village Hall, Kole Railway Carmen, 5445 S$. Ashland ve. Railway Cle Railway Cl Bookbinders, St., 6 E. 64th 3349 rt id Trainmen, 9120 Commer. ‘Ave. c i Sheet Metal Workers, Ashland and Van Buren. Trades and Labor 139 Commercial Ave. 412 Capitol Bidg. jounters, Wolfram Ave. hers (Women), Women's City ib Rooms, 4:30 p. m. raphers (Com.) 312 8. Clark s, 19 W. Adams Street, Union Label Ly owe: eague 220 otherwise stated all 2. m.) (Note—U: meetings ai To those who work hard for thelr money, | will gave 50 per cent on _all their dental work, DR. RASNICK DENTIS 645 Smithfield Street. PITTSBURGH, PA. JOHN L. DELIN General Contractor 1709 N. ROCKWELL STREET. Specializing in New Concrete Foundations on Old Frame Houses - Garages Cement Floors and All Other Pi rele ilar Work. | CALL ARMITAGE FOR AN ESTIMATE, , i THE DECLINE OF CAPITALISM By E. VARGA. An authoritative work by one of the leading econ- -omists in the world Com- munist Movement, .CENTS THE DAILY WORKER PUBLISHING CO,