The toiler. [volume] (Cleveland, Ohio) 1919-1922, 1921-08-13

MOSoOOW.- all Tie lies LOlu
about Russia none has been circulated
more persistently than the assertion
that under the soviet system the trade
unions have been robbed of their i'm
portance and now are negligible in
power and consequence. Some Amer
lean labor men have repeated this ad
nauseam. Now, exactly the reverse is
true. The fact is that the trade unions
are the very foundation of the whole
soviet structure; without their sup
port and cooperation it would 90 to
smash in hurry. This is frankly re-
cognized here on all sides.
The Russian trade union movement
is throbbing with life. This was strik-
ingly manifest at the recent conven-
tion of the All-Russian unions, which
/ had the good fortune to attend. The
convention occupied itself with the
most weighty social, political and
economic problems now confronting
Russia. And so important were its ses-
sions considered that many of the
country's greatest men, including Le-
min, Cork Cork sat through several
sessions) attended them and parti-
cipated. Public interest was intense. 1t
was almost impossible to get ticket
of admission to the great theater
where the convention was held. The
place was constantly jammed with
spectators and the mass of delegates
(3,1O5 delegates representing $685.
800 members).
In front Of the building was stretch
ed Gordon of Red Army soldiers to
hold back the big crowds seeking
entrance. During the convention word
came to the presiding officers that
some delegates, eager to secure ad-
mission for their friends, were bunch
ing their delegate cards and sending
them out so that those on the outside
could come in with the cards. To stop
this practice the chair announced that
all delegates leaving the hall would
have to display their cards and those
unable to do so would be arrested.
Take this surging Russian trade
union convention, dealing with most
vital problems; and with people bfav-
ing Jail to attend it; compare It with
our American Federation Of Labor
lack lustre affairs, occupying them
selves for the most part with trivial
ties, and mastering at best bakers
dozen or two of spectators, and one
gets fair idea of the comparative i'm.
portance and vitality of the two trade
union movements in their respective
countries. 1t i'll becomes American
union leaders to sneer at the Russian
labor movement.
Although the Russian trade unions
have accomplished things withou
parallel in labor history they are fo
the most part of very recent origin. Il
fact, the movement as it now stand
may be properly said to be only fou
years old. The first traces of unionisn
in Russia began to develop toward tn
end of the nineteenth century when
few workers benefit societies led
precarious existence. Occasionall
these primitive bodies waged strikes
but in such events the czar's agent
inflicted frightful hardships upo
them, often shooting the strikers an
exiling their leaders. Under such cor
ditions the movement made littl
headway.
The first great wave Of real trad
union organization came with the r,
volutionary attempt of 1905. Unior
sprang up all aver Russia. But wit
the failure of the revolution and wit
the attendant bitter persecution by Il
government they soon began to 3
down again until within a couple {
years the movment practically di
appeared. A lively revival occurred
1928 and great headway was bein
made when the war came on and a
most completely wiped out the NOV
ment again.
DO YOU FEE