The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1925-01-03
Comrade Zinoviev's Speech.

~ der the impression of the celebra-
ton Of the seventh anniversary of
our revolution. One naturally recalls
some of the events at the beginning
of the revolution, particularly the
first AllsRussian Trade Union Conc
gress held between January ia
1918, which too, ] addressed on be-
half Of the central committee of our
party. Everybody was then drunk
with the recent victory. But at the
same time all the delegates of the
congress were full of alarm and I'M
certainty as to the next day. At the
congress itself we had to struggle
against the mensheviks and social
revoIutionists who were still holding
some important positions in our trade
union movement.
One naturally feels like contrast
ing the present situation with that
of the past. OF the alarm, uncertainty,
and fear for the next day not trace
is left. The trade union movement
of our country, which has passed thru
several difficult stages during these
years, has finally entered on a wide
road, has finally assumed its proper
place in the system of organizations
effecting the proletarisn dictator
ship, has completely finished with the
hesitation Of menshevist and social
revolutionary character, has grown
and matured to an unusual degree. II
we compare the present situation not
only with that of the first congress,
but even with the situation at the
fifth congress, which took place two
years ago, we see confident and COM
paiatively rapid progress. At The
fifth congress we were all pleased to
assert that our state industries were
producing 25-z7 per cent of the pre-
war amount. We noted this as the
first relatively important success.
Now at the sixth congress, our state
industries have reached so per cent
and in some places have even moved
beyond this limit. For the first time
at the thirteenth congress of our par
ty we were able to state that it was
time to think of leaving the pre-war
level behind.
A the fifth congress the wage ques-
ton was one Of the NEST troubling
questions. The mensheviks and their
sympathizers were moving about and
around this question on tiptoe, hop
ing that the trade union movement
Of our country would be tripped up
on this question. This is still very
delicate question; two years ago it
stood out very sharply. Our trade un-
ion movement has marched past
these difficulties in large measure,
and has overcome the fundamental
obstacles. Our formula at the fifth
congress was slow, but sure and
steady raises Of wages. During the
past two years the trade unions have
worked in line with this formula, and
now the entire mass organized in
trade unions can see that it did not
remain merely on paper.
The autumn of 1924 was the first
autumn in our history without any
economic conflicts even Of local ma
ture. This is of tremendous signi-
ficance to the destinies of our coun-
try, and 1t is one of the fundamental
and most significant proofs that the
trade unions have worked well, that
the party directing the Communist
activities of the trade unions was fol-
lowing the true course. Since Febru-
airy, 1923. the trade unions have.
changed to voluntary membership.
The party and the non-partisan trade
unionists have put into this campaign
all the energy and all the enthusiasm
that was necessary for solution of
these problems.
heard some statements to the
effect that the present congress is not
face to face with any serious ques-
tions Of principle. This is both true
and untrue. There are no serious
questions of principle in the sense
that we do not have to discuss anew