The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-09-13
Workers Sports
in the USSR
By MARY REED.

| Yesterday the Red Square in front
of the Kremlin was brilliant with the
gay colored athletic suits of 10000
young workers of the Soviet Republic.
| Their tanned arms and legs gave tes-
! timony that their hours were not all
| spent in the factories, and their splen-
did physique showed far better than
any statistics that Russia is no longer
land of famine and civil war.
"Arise, we prisoners of starvation!
Arise, We wretched of the earth!
| For justice thunders condemnation,
A better worlds in BIRTH"
The Red Army band played "The
International" and the vigorous bod
les of these young workers and their
enthusiasm were the living truth of
| it.
One after another the bright splash
es of color detached themselves from
the brilliant mass Of orange, green,
red, blue, purple, black and white.
Group after group marched by, heads
erect and bodies swinging evenly in
fine formation. Red banners bearing
the emblem of the hammer and sickle
showed the names of their organiza-
tons. Textile workers--giris in red
blouses-hundreds of them passed,
railroad workers, cooperative work
ers, sport leagues, delegations from
far parts of Russia and foreign dele
cations from Germany, Czecho-Slo-
vakia, Norway and Finland-20,00 900
young workers testifying to the
strength Of the new Russia.
Before the revolution workers
sports were confined to few indus
trial centers such as the Donetz basin,
where the influence of foreign engi-
neers, ETC., gave some impetus to
sports in general. Already in the first
months of 1918, however, the revolu-
ton began to be reflected in this field.
The physical condition of the workers
was matter of concern to the whole
country. 1t was no longer question
of using up workers for profit and
throwing them out when they could
go on no longer, but question of hav-
ing a strong nation of men and wo-
men equipped to carry out the ire
mendous task of building up the first
workers. republic in the world.
In all towns and cities sports came
to be an integral part of the activities
of the Soviets. Football, basketball,
swimming, rowing, wrestling, run
ming and winter sports were at last
within the reach of masses of work.
ers, and with the growth of the young
pioneer movement interest in sports
is becoming so widespread that it will
not be long before every boy and girl
in the U.S.S.R. will have opportuni-
ties and facilities for the fullest phys
ical development. The Russian section
of the Red Sport International already
numbers three and half million.
Tremendous work has also been car
ried out in this field by the trade
unions. In Moscow, for example, every
trade union member is entitled to the
free use of boat on the Moscow Riv-
err. And what is more, the workers
now have time to take advantage of
such opportunities. Boating and bath
ing are not confined to Sundays and
holidays. After working five and
half months in place worker is en-
titled to one weeks vacation with pay,
and to two weeks after one year.
In addition to the vast ~"health fac
tory" in the Crimea, where rest cure
homes and sanitariums stretch along
the shores of the Black Sea, there the
many local rest homes for workers
whose condition does not require such
a complete change. For instance, the
banks of the Moscow River are dotted
with such places. Old estates that
used to be the country homes of the
aristocracy are now turned into work.
ers' health homes, where workers are
sent for minor illnesses or where they
may spend their vacations. These are
situated in the tall pine forests which
were hunting reserves and private es-
tates in the time of the Gar. Today
the paths are overrun with groups Of
workers in athletic suits, singing and
laughing as they go. The sandy
stretches of beach along the river are
paradise for sun bathers. Within q
half an hour of Moscow, workers cas-
absorb all the beauties of nature In
peace, without the commercialism Of
a Coney Island to deaden their senses.
=
This health work that the Soviet
/ government has carried out in spite
of all the difficulties of war, counter
revolution and famine, has made pos
sible the physical culture demonstra-
ton that took place yesterday and
the sport week that is going on now
as part of the celebration of ten years
of Soviet government in Russia. And
this is only the beginning.