The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-10-20
KUzBAS PROJECT
MAKING HEADWAY
SAYS TOM Mann
British RevoIutionist
Pleased with Outlook
BY TOM MANN.
For The Federated Press.)

VII UNIiNg tOH9 owl SNGiy VI AuO
Amalgamated Engineering Union Of
Great Britain, was on the first
Kuzbas provisional committee In
1921. This is an account Of his
visit this year to the Kusnetzki
Basin on the river Tom.)
Travelling in the Chita train on the
Trans-Siberian railway we went to
Jurga, the nearest station on the main
line, about 1900 miles from Moscow.
The sixty-five miles remaining to
Kemerovo was done by buggy with
horses rather than wait for train next
day. My companion and were as.
tonished at the wonderful luxuriance
Of the crops ready for harvest on the
peasants farms.
Reaching Kemerovo we were soon
in touch with the American section of
the colony and facilities were afford
ed for a detailed inspection of the
mines, chemical plant, machine shops.
farm, dairy, cooperative society, un.
ion offices, etc.
l was most favorably impressed
with nearly every department and
phase of development. 1 was down
the mine twice, one day going down
by the incline or drift, pretty rough
road at that for one who has said
goodby to youth as 1 have. But
was familiar with underground roads,
having worked down a coal mine in
middle England fifty-five years ago
and INDUCED in amateur coal and
metal mine inspection in various parts
of the world since then.
Good Working System.
/ found it much the cosiest when
we went down the central shaft, and
made direct for the AZ foot seam of
coal. ! have seen many seams, some
less than two feet, but nothing deeper
than IA feet until l saw this at Keme-
rovo. The estimate is that in the
Kusbas region alone there is more
coal than in the whole of Britain. The
methods of work at Kemerovo are
good. A new shaft is being sunk and
schemes are in hand for higher eff.
cheney.
I was very much impressed with
the chemical plant. The principal OF
the chemical department is a fine
man, DR.. Mailer, German by birth,
who has lived most Of his life in Am.
erica and seems to fill his position
perfectly. The production of coke is
the foundation of the works, and the
by-products afford unlimited scope.
Much additional machinery is requir-
ed to admit Of all the by-products
being obtained but extensions are
constantly taking place, and consid.
cradle machinery is on order.
The 5y-products.
Should the Kolchugina mine and
electrifcation scheme work out &C.
cording to plan, as / believe it will
it is reasonable to expect rapid de-
velopment Of the district. For great
success it will be necessary that the
peasants shall appreciate the use Of
fertilizers which the chemical plant
will provide. In Czarist days there
was no disposition shown by the peas.
ants to get machinery. Maybe this
was due largely to the practical diff.
culties in the way. l was in the
company of the government agent re-
sponsible for trying to meet the de-
mands Of the peasants for implements
and machines. He told me the gov
eminent was only able to supply 40
per cent of the actual demands last
year. This indicates a revolution in
the psychology of the peasant and
those who are ready for machine cul
tivation are ready for using fertilizers.
All contented.
Community House, where the Am.
orleans eat and hold locals, etc., at
Kemerovo, is a center of educational
activity. / had many talks with the
men, and in no case did l find any.
one disgruntled. They treated me not
merely with respect but with real
comradelike heartiness. / had the op.
portunity of private talks with experts
and with ordinary rank and filers; all
of them were cheerfully optimistic
and have full faith in the increasing
success of the colony. There are all
told about $500 persons in and about
the colony, and only one mile distant
is purely Russian town Of 5000 and
villages scattered around.
Harmonious Relations.
My conviction is that the technic.
ians are equal to their task. The re.
lation between the Americans and the
Russians is entirely harmonious. The
standard OF life is substantial and
steadily rising, and IL / were twenty
years younger should be glad of the
opportunity to actually join and help
in the development OF the Kusnetz
Basin, and share in bringing this part
OF Asia into direct and actual social
~ i'll. AL