The Daily Worker Newspaper, November 10, 1931, Page 4

THE WORKING CLASS IN THE ll checks t iblishing Co. > the Daily Wor By mail ev U.S.S.R. AT THE 14th ANNIVERSARY INSTALEMENT 1 Ry A. BUROY r THESE DAYS 14th Anni of the great October Revolution, the eyes of the international re towards ‘tie. Soviet Union where the work Hea leadership of Lenin’s Pa: carded out construction of cece St Phoenix rising out of ashes, are Arnie plants being erected all over t ntry. The Moscow and K Maveral ext. comes the Mag: and Babri netzs powerful nts of netestroy, Ki kov (trusts), the plant and other ¢ double the number full speed for the Soviet very appearance of the gradually unde’ from an agricw The working strengthening the v roy justrial. ernment Very noticeable, too, is villages w! t towards so- basic districts of h are grain and raw’ material outr of the kulak as a class has almost been com~ pleted. S| and middle peas- farms; thus tance in th y pillar for the lage and s Soviet ig downward socialism is ‘ar I ance and faith. While in the capitalist countries the crisis and unemployment are on the inc are bursting like bubbles, factories and shops are closing down, fear and ety for the morrow are growing, when povei and hunger are Knocking at every worker’s door, at the same time in the U. S. S. R., on the contrary, socialist construction. is in full speed, the welfare of the toifers is improving considerably, millions of people are enthusiastically inspired by their crea- tive work. On the background of the deepening crisis in the capitalist countries with their corrupt rotten system, the more striking is the contrast, the {irreconcilable contradiction between two worlds, two systems—the system of capitalist oppression and. imverialism and the system of socialist restoration. The broad masses of workers, op- pressed and colonial nations, are looking up with increasing hope to the Soviet Union, at the same time waging a more persistent and militant fight for their own national and social liberation. Capitalism is driven into a blind alley; un- employment is growing and threatening like an avalanche. Already the number of unemployed has reached 40,000,000. Germany counts 5,000,000, England 3,000,000 and in the U. S., the bulwark of capitalism—there the number has grown to 12,009,000. All the hopes and optimistic views for the return of prosperity, for brighter pros- pects have vanished. Upon this gloomy back- ground of mass unemployment stands out the only country in the whole world where unem- Ployment has been completely and successfully eliminated as a result of gigantic construction. Moreover, a shortage of labor brought about the. problem of industrial cadres. While the number of workers in the U. S. has decreased 16.65 per cent, in the U. S. S. R. on the other hand, the working class had grown for the last year only 20 per cent. In 1927-28 in the U.S. S. R. 11,350,000 workers were employed in various industries. ‘Already at the end of 1930 their number grew to 14,296,000. According to the Five Year Plan the number of workers engaged in the completion of the Five Year Plan was estimated at 15,760,000, ‘whereas already at the present time the proletarian army of workers has grown to the number of 17,000.000, thus surpassing the figure indicated by the Five Year Plan. The working class in the capitalist countries at the present time serves as a target for an- other furious general attack of the bourgeoisie. As a loyal ally to the bourgeois class in its cam- paign against the workers, we see the scab lead- ers of the reformist trade unions by whose as- Sistance the brutal wage cuts and lowering of the standard of living of the working class were carried through. Along these lines does the bourgeoisie look for an outlet from the deadlock of the capitalist crisis. In this international general attack of the capitalists ‘against the working class, the bour- weoisie of the U. 8. plays the most active, lead- ing role, carrying out the plan of robbery of wage cuts with grim determination and per- W thus | the liquidation | aistence Following the wage cuts | Pennsy | of the miners of ania, West Virginia and Ohio, the capi tarted a general attack along the en tire industrial line, aiming the first blows against the workers in the steel and railroad industries | and spreading attack rapidly to other talists the » | branches of industry (automobile, textile, ete.) The first to respond to that general attack were the textile workers of Lawrence, Mass., who | by way of strong mass organization, are carry- ing on a brave and determined resistance. The repeated wage cuts, since the beginning | of the crisis, brought about the lowering of the | standard of living to one-third. The total sum of wages paid in the U. S. dropped 32 per cent. In 1929 the total fund of wages paid consisted of $44,600,000,000; in 1930 that fund has de- ed to $35,700,000,000. As a result of sys- tematic wage cuts forced upon the workers with irect assistance of the American Federation or, the payroll fund in 1931 as compared with 1929 has dropped to 50 per cent. How does the matter stand in the U. S. 8. R.? In the U. S. S. R. the payroll fund not only had | not decreased, but has increased 21.2 per cent. In comparison with the pre-war period, the pay- roll had grown to 170 per cent. Already during the last 3 years has the nominal payroll in- | d more than 30 per cent. The increase in mining industry amounts to 50 per cent; in metal 32 per cent; in railroad transportation 40 per cent. For the last seven months of 1931 the | average wage has grown to 11.8 per cent. In the last quarter of 1931 the increase in wages in metallurgy amounts to 23.5 per cent; in mining 12 per cent (which together with the increase earlier in the same year of 1931 makes a total of 35 per cent); in the chemical industry 20 per cent. We must point out also the improvements made this year in the living conditions of the engineers and technical workers and also of the teaching personnel. In considering and comparing the salaries paid in the U. S. S. R. with those in the capitalist | countries, one must not forget those preferences and privileges available for the proletarian class in the Soviet Union. In the first place among those preferences social insurance in the most ideal and complete form is of the most vital im- portance. What do we see in the capitalist coun- tries? Only in 9 out of 67 capitalist countries does some kind of social insurance exist em- “bracing very few categories of workers. But even in those countries, as for instance in Eng- land and Germany, the bourgeoisie with the full |} support of the “Labor” Party in England and | the social democratic party in Germany, carries on a fight against social insurance in order to place the entire expenditure for social insurance upon the shoulders of thé working class, by way of cutting down the dole and limiting the num- ber of workers entitled to relief, etc. As a re- sult, the social insurance in these countries shrunk to such an extent that it reflected upon the deep lowering of their standard of living. | But still worse are conditions in the U. S. where no social insurance is granted, where the bourgeoisie working hand in glove with the A. F. of L. is continuing a vigorous resistance against any kind of social insurance at the cost of the state and the rich. The demand of the workers under the leadership of the Communist Party and the Trade Union Unity League for immediate unemployment relief and social in- surance was met by the government with brutal violence, arrests of leaders, deportations and all kinds of repressions directed towards the Com- munist Party and the Trade Union Unity League. And here again is the contrast most striking when.compared with labor conditions in the U. S. S. R. where social insurance covers all work- ers without exception and discrimination. As far back as in 1923 the number of insured had been 6,000,000 whereas in 1931 that number grew to 16,030,000. The budget of social insurance in 1925 was 474,000,000 rubles. In 1927 the budget grew to 980,000,000 more; in 1929 to 1,400,000,000 and in 1931 the figure shows 2,173,000,000 rubles. It is worth while to mention that the insurance fund is in the hands of the workers who ¢om- pose the insurance committee. In case of illness the insured worker gets the full amount of wages beginning on the very first day till he is capa- | ble to go back to work, or till he is transferred to the category of invalids. At the same time he gets free medical attention and medicine. Working women, as well as workers’ wives, get special relief after their confinement during nine months and are provided with an outfit for the baby. | cre; Effects of Unemployment in Cleveland By LABOR RESEARCH ASSN. Unemployment figures issued by the Cleveland Chamber 5 of Commerce show a m d drop in employ ment during In September, he last two 1, the employment ind: was 17.7 per cent lower than in 1930 and 33.2 per cent lower than September, 12°9 ‘The children of Cleveland, # typical American industrial city, are suffering from the ill effects of unemployment and wage cuts as the economic @risis deepens. A recent partial survey made in 51 out of the city’s 144 elementary schools, re- ported 4,635 undernourished children. The sur- yey wes made in only one section of the city and the actual conditions indicate that the total figures for the entire city would at least double these. For last spring an eminent physician es- timated that there were at least 8,000 children in the Cleveland public schools who were under- nourished and malnourished. Today more chil- dren than evér are coming to school looking » Jumgry. Many are fainting in the class rooms. / “1 it is estimated that more than 15,000 chil egy) ia tte elementary schools, and at, least 5,000 in the night schools, will be partly starving and dn need of relief before the end of January, 1932. * In the face of this situation the school board reports that it can appropriate nothing to give the children free lunches, and turns the matter over to a private fund which is able to feed only @ few thousand of these children. - The report on the examination of publie school children shows there has been # noticeable rise Seno mht acto lbecscelinantal, dell berculosis cases during the last six to elght months. the working class children have been even more marked. The Labor Research Assn. investigator reports “the atmosphere of fear and uncertainty in which most working class families are forced to live has a distinct effect on the children, re- sulting in increased nervousness. Incteased fa- tigue has been noticeable. The hungry children can not study; their memories are poor and they tire easily at school tasks.” In the Catholic Schools the situation is equally bed. Of the children examined the number suf- fering from undernourishment has increased from 5.9 per cent in 1928-29 to 7.2 in 1930-31. Increase in Charity Cases During September, 1931, over 46,000 people were cared for by the local charities. This is 250 per cent more than for the same month in 1930, and 1,000 per cent more than during the same month in any “normal” year. Every day over 150 new families apply for relief to the charities, During every month of 1931, so far, over three times as many families received from the family relief or- ganizations alone as during the corresponding months in 1940. It is estimated that about 100,- 000 individuals will be in stringent need during the coming winter months. It must always be remembered that the charity organizations re- eve only the very worst and the most “worthy” cases. ‘The increase in the number of meals and lodg- ings given to transient workers in exchange for labor by the Wayfarers’ Lodge 's also marked eae? The effects on the mental conditions of TinDBERGH of Manhatiau SUBSCRIPTION RATES: $6; six months, 33; two months York City. Foreign: one yea One yea Sronx, New , $1; excepting Boroughs fr, $8; six months, $4.50 By GROPPER By MYRA PAGE. (Foreign Correspondent of the DAILY WORKER) & Is three years since we were last in Moscow. In the meantime what changes have taken place! Century-old cobbiestones torn up and asphait laid, obstructions cleared away ana many Stréets widened. Autos, buses, and trucks are so numerous thaf traffic lights have been installed. Book stores, busy with customers, meet you at every turn, Now patks have sprung up, filled with lively children and workers enjoying their days of rest. Everywhere modern buildings are Tearing their heads, old ones being remodeled and painted. Factories equipped with the latest machinery have multiplied many-fold. The greatest changes are in the outer sections of the sprawling city, where whole communities of mod- ern workers’ apartments, clubs, community nur- series and kitchens have been constructed. Much of old Moscow still remains,—narrow, winding streets, hedged in by ancient buildings; street cars, and busses jammed with people be- cause transportation facilities haven't been able to expand as rapidly as the city’s growth. Nevertheless, everywhere one finds the new push- ing aside, conquering the old. What tremendous labor, what mass enthus- jasm lie back of these changes! Wherever one goes he feels the pulse of construction, of pur- Poseful activity. He is warmed by the friendly comradeship of a peopie who, each year of their freedom, are discovering more of what it means to really lve. Building the New. ‘The thoroughfares of the workers’ metropolis throb with life. All day and far into the even- ing endless streams of working men, women, and youth surge past, obviously intent on some im- portant, satistying task. The faces of the older generation are lined with past years of fierce struggle with the czar and his allies; but their eyes gleam with confident insight into the future. ‘The younger generations, those who have known little or none of the old oppression, swing along with a free gait and happy self-reliance that mark them the true products of the new so- cialist era. The population, we observe, on the whole is better clothed than in 1928. At that time there were many of the poorest peasants flocking in from the villages, whose jackets were ragged and whose feet usually were wrapped in dirty rags. Now these peasants haye jobs and good wages in one of the city’s factories; or, inspired by the collective farm movement they have returned to the land where standards of life are rapidly approaching the best the city has to offer. Oc- casionally one still sees a person whose coat and shoes are too thin, but the overwhelming ma- ization helped 11,389 transients and served 131,- 885 meals. But during the first ten months of 1931, 174,081 transients were forced to seek relief from this organization, which gave 443,198 meals. Health of Workers Increasing numbers of workers have been com- pelled to ask for free hospital service. The Com~ munity Fund estimates that free work in local hospitals during 1931 has increased 13.5 over 1930 and 36.5 over 1929. At the same time dispensary treatments were reported to be 17 per cent over 1930 and 37.5 per cent ovér 1929. ‘The calls made by visiting nurses increased 16 per cent over 1930. Sulcides ‘The suicide rate in Cleveland in 1930 was one of the highest in the country—21.5 per 100,000. The increase during the périod of the crisis is in- dicated by the figures for the first six months of the last four years—76 in 1928, 84 in 1929, 108 in 1930, and 109 in 1931. Evictions By the end of 1931, it is estimated, the number of evictions in Cleveland will be fore than 100 per cent more than the figures for the “normal” year of 1928. For the first ten months of this year alone, there were almost 800 more evictions than for the same period ir 1930. During 1928 the municipal court records showed monthly evic- tion figures ranging from 260 to 422. During the first ten months of 1931 the lowest monthly fig- ure was 539 while in August, 1,146 evictions oc- ! Setmencthintie | IN THE WORKERS’ CAPITOL jority are warmly clad. On a rainy day ten out of twelve persons wear rubbers over their shoes. | ‘Those who wear high boots of course do not need them, . Everyone, except an insignificant handful of hangovers of the old regime who'd rather beg than do any work, are sure of their three good meals a day; a roof over their heads; free med- ical attention and wages, if they fall sick; and good schooling for their children. The desperate ‘problems which an American worker faces, of feeding and housing his family on his shrink ing pay envelope, and the disaster which over- takes him when he is thrown out of work is simply unknown in Moscow and the rest of the Soviet Union. For the younger generation, it is as difficult for them to understand what a worker's life under Wall Street's dictatorship is as it is for the majority of workers in the States to picture the economic security and freedom enjoyed in this land of workers’ rule, Rising Standard of Life. When we comment to Russian comrades about the changes in Moscow during the last three years, they laugh at our astonishment. “Why, every week, every month sees big changes. We go off on our month’s vacation, and we return to a different city. While in capitalist countries everything is now stagnating, the Soviet cities and villages are teeming with new life.” This city, which was founded before the Mayflower sailed for Plymouth, has wndergone more changes in its last fourteen years than it has in its previous six centuries of growth. Even in a few weeks since we have been here we have grown accustomed to seeing old landmarks dis- appear, and new landmarks take their place. New stores appear like magic, filled with vege- tables, fruits, bread, and candy, (for Russians, have a keen tooth for sweets!). Large public stores, with windows full of bright-colored sweaters, hats, furs, skates and skiis, furnish- ings, and toys for children, herald the comple- tion of the Third Year of the Five Year Plan of industrial construction, and the immediate prospect of another rise in the population’s standard of living. For now that the major part of the big task of building the most necessary automobile, engine, metal and power factories, has been completed; farming placed on a col- lective, mechanized base, the Russian masses lead by their Communist Party, can turn more of their attention to extending industries which produce’ goods for personal consumption. While the workers and farmers of the United States and Western Europe face the worst winter of their lives, and the money kings, in the midst of the chaos their rule has brought, tremble at the sound of marching, angry millions; the Mos- cow and Soviet~1160 millions of tollers are en- tering the bes winter that they have ever ex- perienced, and with) a prospect of still better winters and years lying just ahead. For, con- trary to the inevitable chaos and planlessness of capitalist rule, the workers’ state proceeds on a carefully worked out plan of socialist develop- ment and collective life. very new factory that, goes up, every new automobile, has a place in the plan, and none of these means of production and transportation are privately owned and op~ erated in the interests of a few at the expense of the many. They are owned collectively and operated for the good of all. ‘This is why the Moscow and other Soviet toll- ers look with such confidence at the years ahead. This {s the secret of the zeal with which they take ready for the celebration of the Fourteenth Anniversary of their revolution. ‘They are preparing a joyous, proletarian wel- .come to the workers from other lands who are journeying here to celebrate with them. “See,” they will say, “look well at what we're doing here. We are far from satisfied as yet, there is much that still remains to be done. Nevertheless, does this not prove beyond all doubt the superiority of a workers’ rule to that of the capitalists? ‘Think what life, could be like for the toiling millions jn New York, Atlanta, Chicago, in the cotton and wheat belts, if you, the workers, ran things. And when you go back, tell your fellows and get busy; so all together we'll build @ new world.” ‘ ~ te | | 1 Agitators’ and Propagandists’ Column The Place of Imperialism in History (From Lenin’s Pamphlet on Imperialism.) E HAVE seen that imperalism is, in its eco- nomic essence, monopolist capitalism. Its historic place is determined by this fact, for monopoly born out of free competition, and pre- cisely our free competition, is the transition of the capitalist social order to a higher order. We must notice especially four chief aspects of monopolies, or four chief manifestations of ca- Pitalist monopoly, which are characteristic of the period under review. () Monopoly has grown up out of the con- centration of production at a very advanced stage of the latter's development. This is il- lustrated in the case of monopolist capitalist unions: combines, syndicates and trust. We have seen the large part that it plays in modern economic life. At the beginning of the 20th century, monopolies have acquired complete supremacy in the advanced countries. And if the first steps towards the formation of the combines were earlier made by countries enjoy- ing the protection of high tariffs (Germany, America), Britain, with her system of free trade, has shown, only a little later, the same fact, namely, the birth of monopoly out of the con- centration of production. (2) Monopolies have led to the intensive seiz- ure of the most important sources of raw mat- erjals, especially for the coal and iron industry, which is the principles of industry of capitalist society and that over which the trusts have the greatest control. The exercise of monopoly over the most important sources of raw materials has terribly increased the power of big capital, and has sharpened the antagonism between pro- duction which is in the hands of the trusts, and the production which is not. (3) Monopoly has sprung from the banks. ‘These have developed into the monopolists of finance-capital out of modest intermediaries. Some three or five of the biggest banks in each of the foremost capitalist countries have achieved the “personal union” of industrial and banking capital, and concentrating in their hands the disposal of thousands upon thousands of millions which form, the greater part of the capital and revenue of entire countries. A fin- ancial oligarchy, imposing an infinite number of financial ties of dependence upon all the eco- nomic and political institutions of contemporary capitalist society without exception—such is the most striking manifestation of this monopoly. (4) Monopoly has grown out of cononta! pol- icy. 'To the humerous “old” motives of colonial policy the capitalist financier has jadded the struggle for the sources of raw materials, for the exportation of capital, for “spheres of influence,” {e., for spheres of good business concessions, monopolist profits, and so on; in fine, for eco- nomic territory in general. When the European: powers did not as yet occupy with their colonies a tenth part of Africa (as was the case in 1876), colonial policy was able to develop otherwise than by the methods of monopoly—by “free grabbing” of territories, so to speak. But when the nine-tenths of Africa had been seized (to- wards 1900), when the whole world had been shared out, the period of colonial monopoly opened and as a result the period of bitterest struggle for the partition and the repartition of the world. ' * It ts known {n general how much monopoly capital has deepened all the inherent contradic- tions of capitalism. It 1s enough to mention the high cost of living and the yoke of the trusts. This deepening of contradictions constitutes the most powerful driving force of the transi- tional period of history, which began from the time o* the definite victory of finance-capital. *¥From the conclnding chapter of Lenin’s ‘ oe Bedfomta | \ SC | Another Provocateur A “provorateur”, boys and girls, is French for @ guy who “provokes” something, and in work- ing class movements it is the sort of animal who monkeys around a strike and tries to get some- one to help him “blow up the works”; although the correct way to win a strike is by mass picket- ing, not by sabotage by individuals. Well, anyhow, another gink like that men- tioned recently who sent a circular letter around to Communist Party offices advocating “Kill, Kill, kill” the capitalists, has been at work. In fact it looks very much like the same provoca~ teur, only he signs another indecipherable name, looking like Henry Mutt, or what have you. This one was sent to Detroit, and begins by playing up the hardships suffered by workers who are losing their life’s savings in banks. From this basis, the provocateur develops the general bright idea that the rich must be “killed off”, and then he gets down to business: “How shall the killings be accomplished?” And from this on he blossoms forth with sug- gestions, of “a fatal blow here and another there” which he says will “soon bring the oppressors to @ point where they will voluntarily ease their oppressions.” Which is horse radish! No ope can blame workers who have lost their last penny in busted capitalist banks, for feeling sore enough to do anything. But that don't mean that they should do what this provoca- teur suggests, any more than they should do what Norman Thomas suggests: Put your money in the right capitalist bank. Workers should do no such thing as the in- dividual violence suggested by this provocati kr, Marx fought against this anarchist idocy, which is an outgrowth of capitalist ideas and individ’ ualist outlook. Lenin, as head of the Bolshevik wing of the old Russian Social-Democratic Party foug'ht against the same tactic of individual violence as then practiced by the Social Revolutionary Pare ty’s “Terrorist Brigade” headed by Savinkov, who later turned White Guard, and Azev the spy and provocateur. The Social Revoiutionaries did NOT overthrow the Czar or capitalism, but the masses led by Bolsheviks did! Individual assassinations accom-. plish no social change. When it comes to such tactics, the capitalists can beat the working class at that most any time. The Spanish anarchists tried that tactic in Barcelona in 1919-29, and got the worst of it, But mass action overthrew the Spanish mon- archy—and will go on to overthrow Spanish capitalism. When “ou run across anybody who so insistent on you using “a keen knife or a hard weapon,” as Hénry Mutt advocates, on individual capital~ ists, sit on his neck long enough to look under his shitt for a Department of Justice badge of our glorious capitalist government. Toward the Coolie Standard Miss Jeannette Chesbro, a “teachcer of eco- nomics,” according to an Associated Press dis- patch from Chicago dated Nov. 6, demonstrated to a State Conference of vocational home-making teachers, how—“a woman can live on 31 cents worth of food 2 day and remain in good health.” This comes in extremely handy for the city administration of Chicago, which has spent so much in graft that it cannot pay the thousands of school teachers. These teachers will be cheered to know that they can live on 31 cents a day,— of food, mind you, this not including rent, clothes, or anything but food. Of course, even at that, the Chicago teachers will have to ask: “How do we get the 31 cents?” Because they gannot get their checks cashed anywhere. But granted that everybody would suddenly take the notion to live on 31 cents a day—what would that mean? It is a solution of unemploy- ment? Hardly! It would immediately increase unemployment among all those who make the things that have been purchased and consumed by expenditures above’31 cents a day. Over the radio recently, Mr. McCann, Jr., the diet expert, has been elaborating this whole theory as advice to “charity” in the “relief” given the unemployed. Correctly he attacks the ane cient idiocy of sow-belly, corn meal and beans, and correctly explains that milk, fresh vege etables and whole grains would be no more ex- pensive and much healthier. But what does this all amount to sotlally? ‘Workers who have already suffered wage cuts will be told that they can stand more cuts be- cause, as the Department of Agriculture ade vised the drought-stricken farmers, they “can find many kinds of grass and weeds that are edible.” The net result of this scientific opinion in diet- etics, which is thus isolated from social setence, is to excuse capitalism in its giving léss relief, Tather than more, to the unemployed, and to |. furnisl: “scientific” justification for a higher degree of exploitation, a greater surplus value wrung from the workers for accumulation by the capitalists, But this surplus piles up and capitalist “overe production” crises would come quicker by this raising of the rate of exploitation through ree ducing the masses to a coolle standard. ‘The real solution of the crisis, which must bee gin with a revolutionary struggle for MORB, rather than less, food, still remains as the chief problem; and dietetic reform, put forward in iso~ lation from politics, serves only as an excuse for reaction, regardless of its subjective truth. It is typical of capitalism that it hails as the greatest achievement, any plan whereby it can take away from the workers who produte evérye thing and get very little, still more of that little, ‘That's what we mean by capitalist science. —— DISTRICT, SECTION AND UNIT LITERATURE AGENTS See that you are supplied with the following literature: For Unemployz:ent Work and the National Hunger h Unemployinent Relief and 1 Insurance 3 Fight Against Hunger.......0.......0.4.5 5 Work or Wages, by Grace M. Burnham 10 Social Insurance, by Grace M. Burnham., 10 Comunist Call to the Toling Farmers - 3 Why Every Worker Should Join the Com- munist Party ......0-... cece eeeee teens 10 ‘Those who cannot otherwise supply them- selves should write direct to Workers’ Library Publishers, P.O, Box 143, Station D, New York City. a — AMM