The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-12-04

shape. The relation Of the proletariat
to the peasant had to be adjusted.
The peasants, the overwhelming ma
jority of the population, could not buy
industrial products owing to the high
cost of production. The new eco
nomic policy, the brilliant achieve
ment of Comrade Lenin, stroke that
only a genius could dictate, took
things along the right path. 1t was
the strategy of the real revolutionary,
who recognizes the forces at play not
in his own country alone, but the
world over.
New Economic Policy Was Correct.
The new economic policy was cor
rect, thousand times correct, and has
made Soviet Russia a more powerful
factor in the world revolution than be-
fore.
Factories increased their production.
The light industry not needing such
large investment Of capital pro-
crossed more rapidly. The textile in
dustry, the cigarette and preserve in
dustries moved with giant steps. Dur
ing the last year, the workers in the
two latter industries increased their
wages. The essential element, how
ever, is the heavy industry. The VIC
lent discussion in the Russian Com
munist Party from last November to
January, revolved in part about that
point. Can the heavy industries be
developed, or is Soviet Russia in no
position at this time to strengthen
them and therefore must purchase all
such products abroad? The decision
was made that even at a great ex-
pense to the Soviet government. the
heavy industries must be developed.
A Natural Outcome.
The decision Of the central execu-
tive committee of the Russian Com
munist Party was correct. And as
consequence, the textile workers are
earning 80 per cent, workers in the
printing industry 73 per cent. food 113
per cent, leather go per cent, paper 100
per cent, wood industry so per cent.
The average in Moscow is SO per cent
of pre-war wages
1t was obvious, therefore, that cate
gories of workers such as physicians
and teachers would suffer. A working
class at war with foreign and domestic
enemies cannot pay it's major atten-
ton to these matters. Even the
schools suffered, at one time. Just be.
fore the new economic policy was
adopted, they had to be taken over in
main by the trade unions and the fac
tories. But today, things are on the
upgrade.
Wages in Soviet Russia should not
be interpreted in American terms.
First Of all, it must always be remem-
bered that Soviet Russia Inherited the
Russia Of the tsars--lts corruption,
disorganIzatlon and misery. Out Of the
chaos has come order-and out Of or
der has come continuous progress
and consolidation.
Buying Power Is What Counts.
Some workers get what might be
considered a low wage in the United
States. But their actual wages are
far higher than those earned, for In
stance, by similar eategories Of Ger
man workers. A skilled German
worker gets, on the average, less than
$50 month; an inexperienced worker
as low as SIS. But even this is not the
sole criterion OF wages. The real cri.
terion is their buying power. Can a
worker get as much for his wages in
Soviet Russia, as. for instance, in Ger.
many? He gets far more. In the
United States and Germany. a worker
has to pay one-fourth or one-third OF
his wages for rent. A worker in SO.
Wet Russia with low wage pays
either no rent at all, or only two or
three rubles (s1.0O to $500 a month
this including light and heat. Every
factory has club. This club is the
cultural center for all the workers
| II is the center for theatrical work
classes, lectures; II contains a library
with the daily papers. periodicals. and
the latest books on all subjects. II IL
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