The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1925-11-14
BY c. ALLISON.

Deen produced from authoritative
sources to prove that production is
far in excess of consumption. Every
coal producing country has shown a
productive capacity equal to pre-war
days, and this fact, together with the
shrinkage of consumption, due to
more extensive utilization of oil and
other means Of motive power, has in
tensifed competition and spread ruin
and chaos in the industry.
The effects of all this on the miners
in the various countries is disastrous.
In Germany the Introduction of a long
er working day and the low wages
prevailing has provided the coal own
ers of other countries such as Belgi-
um, Czecho-Slovakia and the neigh
boring countries with an opportunity
of attacking the existing standards
In America and Canada, sweeping
wage reductions have taken place and
assisted by the existence of large
armies Of unemployed, the owners are
now making attempts to smash the
trade unions.
TN Britain the normal effects of the
i crisis have been intensified by the
political boycott of the U. S. S. r.
and the operation of the Dawes plan.
The industry has plunged into one of
the most distressing periods in its
whole history. Already there are no
fewer than 100000 unemployed min
ers, and large percentage of the re-
mainder are working part time. The
coal owners making the most of this
situation, are attacking the already
low standards in the various districts.
through partial reductions, ETC., and
further, the coal owners are develop
ing new offensive whereby they
hope to re-introduce the eight-hour
day.
In view of this situation it will be
very instructive to compare the condi-
tons prevailing in the mine fields of
highly intensified center of imper-
ialism, like Great Britain and the
workers republic of Soviet Russia.
For the purpose of contrast we can
take productivity, wages, hours and
general conditions prevailing in Great
Britain, with those prevailing in the
Donetz Basin, which district is typical
OF the other mine fields in the u. S.
S. r. In doing so, however. we must
be mindful of the different circum-
stances that have prevailed in tho
two countries during and since the
war.
In Britain, for example, the mines
were unmolested during the war.
Since 1918 the industry has had sufi-
cient time and opportunity to stabil-
ize, and in addition, there has always
been ready access to an abundance of
the necessary modern machinery and
up-t0date equipment.
TN the Donetz Basin, however, the
= industry was practically ruined as
the result Of the civil war and the
organized sabotage OF the mines by
the counter revolutionary forces, as
sisted by Britain and the other i'm
perialist powers. The work of the
reactionary forces could be traced in
the wilfull destruction of. both the
transport system and the mines. The
systematic blowing up of bridges and
the smashing of mining plants, done
by the enemies of Soviet Russia dur.
ing the civil war, are known to every
one, and testified to the tremendous
tasks presented to the revolutionary
forces after their final victory. Peace
has only prevailed three years and
even after open hostilities have
ceased. reconstruction has been re-
tarded by the systematic boycott of
the U. s. S. r. by all the imperialist
powers rauroif-
n Nevertheless, despite the obvious
differences in opportunities. it is
fact that the mining industry in Brit
ain has failed to provide for the most
elementary needs of the miners. IN
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