The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-01-28
Free Medical Aid.

The amount OF unemployment bene-
fit depends upon the qualifications of
the unemployed, but there is a fixed
minimum less than which may not
be paid. Besides the, regular bene-
lit, the unemployed are entitled to
free medical aid, the same as the en-
ployed, and they retain the right to
benefit during their illness. If the
unemployed becomes an invalid he
has right to a pension. Unemployed
women receive the largest benefits
during the weeks before and g.
weeks after confinement. The unem-
ployed are also entitled to a special
allowance for newborn infant, for
infant feeding during nine months
and for the burial of members of
their families, the same as all in
sured.
In addition, the unemployed are ex-
empted from taxes and enjoy certain
privileges in regard to municipal SER
vices, etc.
The government bodies make spe-
cial appropriations for public works
and for the organization of labor
groups, which give employment to a.
considerable number of unemployed.
The trade unions also render con-
siderable aid to their unemployed
members, establishing special unem-
ployment funds for this purpose. Ifl
all these measures were carried out
for the benefit of the working class
in the United States, the condition of
the workers there would be better
than in our country.
Question 7. In country where the
state is practically the sole employer,
where the workers truly control the
state so that the worker is both en-
ployer and employee, what is the need
of the Profsoyus? Is it not a dupli-
cation of state work and expense?
Basic Industries State-owned.
Answer: In this country the form
of administration Of industry is of a
transitory nature. The basic indus
tries are in the hands of the state,
the small industries and consider
able part of distribution of produc-
tion-commerce-are still in the
hands of private traders and public
organizations. The conditions of in
dustrial employment still bear traces
of the capitalist order. AS the labor
force is hired, there is still the neces-
sity of regulating the conditions of
work and wages; there still exists
surplus value, which is used to en-
large and develop industry, to i'm
prove the condition of the worker and
the country. The industries, individ-
ual factories and mills are the prop
erty of the working class as a whole,
the property of the state, of the
country, not of each individual group
Of workers employed at a given
plant. The factories and mills are
managed and operated by the state
in agreement with the trade unions,
by its specially appointed economic
bodies, and not by the workers en-
ployed there.
The profits of individual undertake
ings are not divided among the work
ers employed at the plant, but belong
to the state, and any deficit is not
covered by the workers but by the
state. All these conditions require
the existence of trade unions, whose
tasks include the regulation of condi-
tons of work, wages, the organiza-
ton and the hiring of labor, etc. The
activity of individual trade unions is
thus directed to serve the everyday
needs of the workers of a given in
dustry in conformance to the inter-
ests of the working class as whole.
Our trade unions do not perform
tasks analogous to those Of state and
economic bodies, because they do not
manage the industries or rule the
state. Their influence in this direc-
ton is exercised by their taking part
in the election of governing bodies, in
the selection of economic organs, by
proposing their candidates and aiding
in framing the measures for the i'm
provement of industrial management,
by sharing in the control over the
various economic bodies, taking part
in the consideration Of legislative pro-
posals, etc. All that is done in addi-
ton to their basis task, which is the
protection of the everyday economic
interests of the workers.