The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-12-20
RANK, filters
TELL OF LIFE IN
Soviet LAND
Experiences to Be Told
at Mass Meeting

The rank and file Trade Unior
D~egation, eight Of whom have
come back from Soviet Russia eager
to work for Russo-American recog.
milton, are unanimous in their op.
tlmism over the Russian proletariar
experiment. at seems Ike q dream
1t is too good to be true" is what
tsey all say.
The group was generally represen-
Gatfve Of the trade union movement
in che United States, as far as occu-
pStions 60. The trades represented
include a railroad worker, a moulder
carpenter, a miner, a machinist. q
locomotive worker, a steel worker
end an electrician. While they were
there, they made most thorough
study of industrial conditions. In
small groups they visited the mines
and oilfields of Grosni and Baku, the
southern textile industries, Ukrainia
and the Don Basin, as we'll as the
Industrial life of Leningrad and Mos
cow. They expect to issue a report
Of what they saw, to come out some
time during December, when the rest
Of the delegation arrives.
Workers Have Power.
William Watkins, president of
Switchmcn's Union, Local 2O6, said
that "from the trade union point of
view. we found that organized labor
in Russia has power now of which
the American worker is only dream
ing" It is the workers of Pussic,
together with the peasants, who ere
guiding the destinies of the United
Socialist Soviet Republics"
"Of course it is true" he went on,
that the Russian workers do not en-
Joy the standard of living that we
DO. But there is no favorable COM
parison for the United States be-
tween the hours of work, control Of
job conditions and pay. state pro-
vision for education, accident unem-
ployment and old age. which the
Russian workers have now
Workers Hapnv.
The delegation claimed that every
where there was ample evidence If
the workers being well-housed, we'll
clothed happy and contented with
thPir present conditions. as opposed
10 those they had known under the
ft7aFs regime. Where the work day
had formerly been ten or more hours,
it was now eight. Frequently, how
ever, they found the hours had heen
reduced to six a day. owing g. the
risk to health in the occupation.
There is also general move toward
a seven-hour dav. they said.
Perhaps one of the most astonish-
ing things to the American group
was the Importance attached to the
Palace of Labor, or community CEN
ter, which even the villages boastod
Often it was found built around and
into the factory, where the village
had not yet constructed a special
building. or converted one Of the con-
fiscated mobiles estates into these
club houses, around which the cul-
iural life of the new Russia flows.
There, as everywhere else, the trade
union organization is the governing
unit Communism, according to the
delegation, may be the ruling phil
osophy of Russia. But it is the
trade unions that are the real gov
eminent.
Modern Construction.
The WAGES of American workers
seemed fabulously HIGH to the Rus
sian workers. when they were inter
viewed at their work in the factor
les, foundries. mines and oil fields.
But on the other hand. the astonish-
ment of the visiting Americans was
even greater when. on investigation
in Baku, for instance, they found
that over 60 per cent. Of the workers
were living in the most modern Of
constructions, with hardwood floors,
hot and cold running water, even De-
troit Jewel gas stoves in the kit
chens. These houses were furnished
rent free to the workers in the dis
trict Those who still had to in
habit the old-style dwelling were
given nine roubles month to cover
the cost of rent and heat
Besides having rent. light heat,
Unemployment ard old-age pension
insurance all provided free, the dele
cation found that the workers were
also provided with free work clothes
and free tools. Entertainment was
provided free in the labor club
houses. There were free nurseries
for small children Doctors and dem
fists and all medicines were free.
Once in every three months each
worker is given a physical examina-
lion to see that he is not overstrain-
ir~ HIMSELF. IF he is. he is given a