The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1925-01-10

trade unionist who does not under
border between two classes and that
we have decided upon a world his
toric task, both in our own country
and on world scale. Therefore,
comrades, we have no right to evade
this question. There is, of course,
something in the sentiment Of a part
of the peasantry which we cannot
concede under any circumstances. No
doubt there are peasants who think
that the eight-hour day is a luxury;
Il work 16 hours during harvest time
they think-why should the worker
work only eight hours?" Can we
make any concession on this question?
Under no circumstances can we do so.
There are questions in which we can
not give in to the prejudices Of the
peasants, for they are only prejudices,
and the peasantry must grow up and
understand that the eight-hour day
is the basis of the workers economy
and promotes the welfare of the
country, including also the peasants
welfare. There are a number of
questions on which the workers can
not and should not under any circum
stances, give way to the prejudices
Of the backward peasantry and there
can be no question Of giving in on
this matter.
However, there is a group Of ques-
lions arousing the just discomfort Of
the peasants, over which we must do
some thinking. The first question is
that of prices. Now, frequently. sepa
rate groups Of peasants say: we give
bread to the workers at pre-war
prices; tell us, when will you give us
city products at pre-war prices?" To.
day only separate groups of peasants
are saying these things. tomorrow the
entire peasantry may be saying them.
This is a question which cannot and
should not be evaded by the Sixth
Trade Union Congress. it is question
that stood in the center Of the atten-
ton at the plenary meeting of the
central committee Of our party the
other day. and which should engage
the attention Of such an important
congress as is yours. You cannot
back out of it. This one Is not a
prejudice Of the peasants
OF course we must explain to the
peasant why the question Of prices is
not so easily solved. why the war and
the blockade ruined the city economy
more than the village (all this can
and should be said by us) but it must
be remembered that this question is
knocking at the door. and we cannot
disregard it. 1t will return to us in
it's varied form. The peasant win put
this question before US, and l think
that it will be useless for us to hide
our heads, we must clearly see that
which is new in our political and eco
nomic fields, and remember that not
much time is allowed us in this ques-
ton. Already at the Eleventh Con
gress of our party Vladimir Hitch told
no dDOuS IL. II 10 ucCCSSdTy W use dll
the forces Of the workers and Of the
party. of the trade unions and of the
managing boards to push this question
ahead to find satisfactory answer
to it, to show the peasants that we
really want to meet their demands.
OF course, the solution of this ques-
ton will require certain amount of
time.
The question of land improvement
in the village also requires much time.
However. there are questions that can
be solved much quicker, and this
depends entirely upon us.
What sort-of Soviet Apparatus Does
the Village Need?
We must set up in the village a real
Soviet power, an honest cultural sober
Soviet power without graft, without
moonshine, power such as we now
nave in the principal centers of the
Il