The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1925-07-11
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a Russian factory few hours ride
from Moscow. A former New York
comrade In charge of propaganda"
for the district and invited me out. !
first had the chance to see how Rus
sian party workers live out in the
provinces. for he moved over to share
the room of a comrade and gave me
his room. Certainly no unskilled work
or in America, who has a job, lives so
plainly. A wooden plank bed, with
out springs, a large table on which to
work, wash basin in one corner with
a tiny pail of water hung above it, one
chair and one stool-these were the
furnishings. No rug, no wardrobe,
not even a hook on the wall for
clothes.
For cooking food, there was an cleo
trio teapot The water had to be
brought from a distance, and carried
to a distance after. using. There was
no plate, no dish.pan, no pail and only
one teaspoon. 9lsc ar. He laughed:
when they go to the north pole, they
have more comforts. But l am too
busy. Besides, get hot meal every
day at the factory" At home
cold food eaten out Of bag sufficed.
WE went in the evening to the meet
w ing of the Party "Yachejka, -
the communists of the factory. Orig
inally, the word yachejka signified
little nucleus, but now it is a big
meeting; so have the numbers Of the
communists grown. Now also, at most
of the meetings they allow outsiders
or non-party people, since the subjects
considered have to do with the well
fare of the factory. The non-party
people take part even in discussions,
but do not vote.
The young secretary of the Party
Committee, group of nine elected by
the whole gathering to conduct the
AFFAIRS of the party in that factory,
was just finishing his report of the
last six months as we entered. There
were $50 members of the party, of
whom 60 were received this year and
60 more last year. Such large num-
hers of new ones, almost swapping
q
the machinery and requiring much Ia
Dor to organize into work. For work
of some kind had to be found for all
of them; if they were not "active"
they were no use, and might be
dropped. The party in the factroy ex-
listed as the active, energetic political
force, correlating every activity
OPPOSITE me as sat down was
~ the director of the factory-also
a Communist. But he did not look
happy. HE may possibly attack the
report of the committee" whispered
R., for they have been making it hot
for him. He is likely to be removed
from his job any time now on their
recommendation. The Trust thinks
he's a good man, but he somehow
doesn't get the cooperation of the
workers. He is sincere and has tried
to learn; perhaps he has learned
something here that will be useful to
him elsewhere. But he cannot apply
it here, for in the process he has
reused too many preiudices. am
also recommending to the Party that
he be transferred" ~s'''S
AS we sat down, questions were
breaking out from all over the room.
taken down rapidly in writing by the
chairman of the meeting. why have
we no report from the Pioneers? Are
all the party members Of this factory
members also OF the MOPR? lThe
relief of communist political prison
ers in many lands.) Have we organ
lied movement to help the prole-
tartan student? Has the Party looked
into the matter of the Club and OBJ
served that we have no summer
grounds or equipment for summer &C
tivities? How large is the active
membership; how many members
have no party duties? What has our
Village Commission done in the near.
by county of which we are now the
"guardians?" Why haven't we a sani-
tary organizationf . ~ iss1Attesa DE-