The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-03-08

rl0Q OF exceedingly hard struggles
against capital. The enormous de-
probation Of the Polish mark in con-
nection with the general financial
catastrophe, caused by the reaction
airy policy of the ruling classes
capitalist and landowners-forced
large masses of the working class,
even those under the influence of the
opportunist and conservative leaders
to enter the fight for existence. The
last year, therefore, has witnessed
such big and stormy strikes as in
dependent Poland had never exper-
fenced before. There were the heroic
struggles of the workers of LODI,
Warsaw, the Dombrovo coal district,
Upper Silesia, and others, which be-
gan merely as demands for higher
wages to keep up with the ever ris-
ing costs Of living, and ended with
big political demonstrations and
regular battles with the police. The
apex of these fights was the Cracau
revolt of the railroad workers with
the assistance of the entire working
class and a part Of the army. The
workers were victorious, inasmuch
as the old historical capital Of
Poland was in the hands of the
workers up to the minute when the
experienced social-traitors Of the
Polish socialist party handed over
to the reationary government the
position acquired in blood.
Economic Situation Grows Worse.
After all these hard struggles and
betrayals the labor movement weak
ened. The economic situation of the
country is getting worse. The ex-
change rate of the dollar grew from
100000 in November to more than
ten million in January.
The imitation, mainly under the in
fuence of the reforms for stabiliza-
ton, took on such proportions that
not only did it rob the laboring
masses of a big part Of their income,
but it even undermined production.
The wages, whose real value falls
continually with the rise in the cost
of living, were lower in December
than in November. The rise in the
cost of living, according to the reck-
oning of the central bureau of statis-
tics, in the two halves of the month
of December, amounted to 51.06 per
cent and 1897 per cent, respectively,
in December, $3.50 per cent and
$3.50 per cent, respectively. The
wages fell considerably more where
ever the bosses regulate them
monthly, as, for instance, in Stara-
chovitze.
Still more dangerous for the la
boring masses is another outcome Of
the present period Of infiation-un-
employment. The Impeachment OF
the internal market as well as the
considerable rise in the price of in
dustrial products as result Of the
expensiveness of raw material and
foreign machinery, and the high
risks, with the depreciation of the
mark, and finally, the policy Of
financial economy-all this produced
further curtailment of production
This holds true especially Of the ex.
port branches of industry, mainly in
the textile industry, as well as those
branches Of production which are de-
pendent upon financial economy, such
as the metal industry, the tobacco
industry, ETC.
Unemployment Increases.
In the textile industry unemploy-
ment gradually affected a number
Of small factories in Lodz anC
Bielsk. More than a thousand work
ers altogether are unemployed there
and more than half work from two
to five days a week. In the meta
industry those factories were affect
ed which worked on government or
ders (mainly railroad cars), as these
orders were in part cancelled and ii
part curtailed.
There has been shrinkage o.
work also in the Upper Silesian Goa
and steel district. AS a result o,
the move to lease out the tobacco
monopoly the crisis has also affected
the private tobacco industry.
The deterioration of the marke