The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-12-20
vacation-wNh pay-besides his an
lual two to four weeks.
Workers Get R.R. Passes.


What was more, some of the work
ers were given passes once a month
good on the railroad within a radius
Of IT'S miles, so that they might be
able to get to ether centers of in
dustry to buy more cheaply. And
cree in two months, they were given
passes, good for themselves ard their
families, for any place they wished
to travel in all Russia.
When all this tale of benefits was
recited to the visiting group, one Of
them admitted he was forced to ask
what there was left to spend money
for.
Books was the laconic answer
Books and music, and theater-
tickets" And even the theater-
tickets were cut rate, from so tc
rs per cent, for trade unionists.
Shun Speed-up.
Since this was a group of actual
industrialists who were on tour in
Russia, working conditions under
which the Russians were producing
appealed most intensely to them
They admitted that the tools used
we're in most cases antiquated, from
IN American point of view. There
fore, production rates were not as
high as here. Besides that, there is
no striving after straight line pro-
luction. In fact, they said, they
found a definite horror of the evils
If the Ford speed-up system. But
hat did not mean that there were
no methods employed to improve ex-
isting production habits. From 1925
70 1927, $4,000 rubles had been
awarded as prizes for inventions and
improvements. In fact, so impressed
were the American group by the
standard of work. that they predicted
nat within five years, if Russia
keeps on in her present mood, she
will have attained a technique of
production that has never been
rqualled anywhere on earth.
Brass Bands Too.
Everywhere they went. the delega-
ion was greeted with brass bands,
5anquets. and democratic conlrade-
5hip-if one could show real callouses
on his hands that had no counter
part in American life. They told of
attending meeting given IN their
honor in some small provincial town
where it was so cold in the hall that
The water in the pitcher on the speak
er's table actually froze. And the hall
was throngcd for two solid hours,
reople standing TO gain admission.
Tibet" said Watkins, chairman of
the delegation, is as much Russia
as anything can point to-"
Everywhere they went excitement
was rife over America. and over ques-
lions of war, ard of disarmament.
But, although they were anxious that
there should be settlements agreed
upon by which there could be no more
vars, yet;@fn case of any break be-
tween any other country and Russia,
the peasants and workers alike evil
denced their Willingness to defend
Russia to the limit.
Peasants Know World.
"Those peasants know more about
world affairs than most American
college Students" said one of the
group, in mentioning the keen ques-
tions that were asked them about
conditions here. Part of theic keen
ness he laid to their complete feel
ing of economic security. Part of it
TO the fact that Russia is in the hands
Of young men. All of her officials
seemed to be in their late twenties or
early thirties. But great part of
this intense intellectual curiosity and
awakening seemed to the delegation
- be duo to the schools which they
saw Youngsters were attending
studies for three or four hours a day,
and Spending like amount Of time
in the industry of their choice, learn