The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1905-02-11
RUSSIAN WORKING CLASSES.
VARIOUS PURSUITS IN WHICH
THPY ARE EMPLOYED.

Typical Russian FactOry-LabOr En-
actments i'm "A Very backward State.
The condition of the working classes
in Russia are the outcome of certain pc
culiar features of national economy
which existed in no other country. at
all events, in modern times. Russian
industries were originally either the re-
suit Of state action (the so-called pos
session factories''), or that of the enter
prise of landowners Who used part of
their serfs to work their mills (the
proprietary factories'O. In most cases
the enormous majority Of the worhnen
employed were occupied in industrial
pursuits only during the winter, return
ing in the summer to their villages to
attend 70 agricultural labors. This
state of affairs was in part due to the
serf system, which tied the peasant to
the soil and only allowed him to leave
it temporarily; but it has outlasted serf-
age, and obtains to some extent even to
this day. Wages are ten to twenty per
cent. higher in summer than in. win
ter, and there is usually a shifting of
hands at Easter and in November, SO
that in many factories the majority of
the men are changed every six months.
But a permanent factory class has
gradually been growing up in Russia,
and now there are few important fac
tories where the number of men EN-
ployed during the summer is apprecia-
bly, less than in winter. This is partic-
ularly the case in ST. Petersburg, where
the large factories are worked on mod
ern industrial lines, and the working
class population is beginning to resem-
BILE that of other countries.
Labor legislation, however, is still in
a very backward state, as the authori-
ties are always extraordinarily nervous
lest anything done to favor of the
working classes might foment desire
for liberties of a political character.
Any demands on the part of the work
man for higher wages or shorter hours
4
agitation, and strikes are prohibited
and treated as a most henious offence.
The first labor law was passed in 1882,
prohibiting the employment in factories
of children under twelve, and night
work for children between twelve and
fourteen. In special cases, with the au-
thorization of the finance minister, they
may be employed at night, but must be
free for the next twenty-four hours.
This prohibition was afterwards extend
ed to women in certain trades, save
when the male head of the family was
also employed. Factory inspectors
were appointed and the persons chosen
for these positions were usually very
able and Conscientious. As a rule their
tendency was to side with the workman
against the employer whenever disputes
arose, and much has been done by the
government to render the measure mug
atory. The reports of the inspectors
have ceased to be published since 1886. .
Hours of labor, which were formerly
unlimited, have now been fixed at eley-
en- and one-half, but in some establish,
ments they are voluntarily reduced to
ten and one-half or eleven and in many
it is in the conditions of life that the
Russian Industrial population is partic-
ularly badly off.
The typical Russian factory was a
vast establishment, usually in rural
district at some distance from a town,
but forming a large village or small
town in itself. Here the workmen We're
lodged. fed, clothed, educated, amused
and policed by the factory owners and
formed a little world to themselves.
But with the growth of the industrial
movement in the towns these conditions
have to a great extent ceased to be. At
the same time, while agriculture no
longer supports anything like the whole
population, the industrial development
is not yet sufficient to deal with the
surplus and. the supply of labor is al
ways far in excess of the demand. The
conditions of life for working men are
exceptionally hard in the large towns,
especially in st. Petersburg, where the
rents are very high. The squalor of
working mems dwellings is such as
would not be tolerated in other coun-
tries. The government has done moth
ing to bring about an Improvement in
this connection. 1t regards ordinary ar
tisans with suspicion, and actually
places difficulties in the way of their
settling down in large numbers in any
particular quarter of the town most
convenient to their work, as it fears
that close contact may generate dan
gerous political movements and facili-
tate revolutionary propaganda. Every
thing that has been done to improve
their lot is due TO the philanthropio ini-
tiative of certain firms. The ordinary
lodging houses of the Russian workmer
are simply unspeakable. 70 find seven.
teen or eighteen persons Of four or five
different families is by no means un
common, and, in fact, 1t is quite a com.
mon occurrence to find corners of rooms
are, let separately. Working mems
| wages range in ST. Petersburg from six
ty .kopecks a day to three rubles for the
foreman Zone shilling twopence to six
shillings sixpence1, but in many in
stances they are even lower. Rents, or
the other hand, are proportionately
very high. In one large factory in st
Petersburg in which some seven thou
sand hands are employed, good dea,
has been done for the benefit of the
workmen, somewhat OH the lines of the
old Russian factories. Large tenements