The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1928-05-26

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country of the world in the field of
industrial accidents. In industry
there occur annually $4,000 fatal ac-
cidents and 215 million accidents
causing temporary disability, In
1927 there We're no less than 1924
casualties on the mining field of bat
tie. New York state alone had in
1926-27 in structural iron work not
less than 21,606 accident cases which
required compensation. In the metal
mines there were 1866 accidents per
10000 workers. In other words, one
worker out of every four was the
victim of an accident.
There is no social insurance deserv-
ing this name in the United States.
No care is taken of the unemployed,
of the sick, of the old, of invalids and
cripples. No help is given to fam
lilies of deceased workers. AS sub
stitutes there are only the voluntary
organizations of fraternal societies.
Some of the trade unions try to build
up some insurance schemes. All
those small-scale organizations are
very limited in their effect and mean
an additional burden for the work
ers. The group insurance of the en-
ployers means the enslavement of
the workers to a certain corporation.
The private insurance companies are
Fleeing the working masses. There
is a general lack of security in the
life of the working class Of America.
No worker grows old as fast as the
American worker. Speed-up and lack
of labor protection drives him to pre-
mature old age. Scores of poisons,
extreme heat and dampness and dust.
and lack of sanitary measures ruin
the health of the toilers.
The lack of labor protection and
social insurance in the United States,
in the richest capitalist country in
the world, is brought out in bold re-
lief by comparison with the Work
ers' Republic of the Soviet Union.
The Socialist Republic of Soviet Rus
STA has the most complete system of
labor protection and social insurance.
Her social insurance provides the fol-
lowing benefits: temporary disability
benefits; benefits for child birth, in
FAINT nursing, burial of insured per-
sons and members of their families;
pensions for widows; permanent dis
ability benefits; pensions to family
in event of bread-winner's death; I'M
employed benefits; maintenance of
rest homes, sanatoria, and health re-
sorts for workers; free medical aid.
In Soviet Russia all forms Of So
cial insurance are under the manage
ment of the workers and are main
tanned at the expense of the state.
Factory inspection and all state pro-
lection of labor organs are under the
direct control of the trade unions.
Compulsory yearly vacations on pay
are assured. The 7-hour day is guar
anteed by law. The law forbids sys-
tematic overtime. There is a legal
weekly rest of AZ hours. Special pro-
lection of women and children in in
dustry has been enacted. A large
range of sanitation and safety mea-
sures in all factories has been insti-
tuted.
There is worlG of difference be-
tween the lack of labor protection and
social insurance in the United States
Of America and the complete system
of labor protection and social insur-
ance in the United States Of Socialist
Russia-the difference between a
capitalist and socialist country.
Demands.
l. Federal law for social insur-
ance in the case of sickness, accident,
old age, and unemployment for all
wage -earners. The administration of
all social insurance measures should
be in the hands Of the workers. The
expenses should be covered by the
state and the employers.
2. Federal law for the enactment
of the 40-hour, day week, forbidding
all overtime. The law shall provide
for a six-hour working day in es-
pecially dangerous industries. Imme-
diate enactment of federal law pro-
viding for SO consecutive hours of
weekly rest for all wage-earners.
3. Federal law for compulsory
rules and technical measures for
safety and sanitation.
4. Establishment of effective labor
inspection; inspectors to be elected
by the workers themselves.
s. Free medical treatment, medi-
cine, and hospital care for all wage
earners.
Tariff and Taxation.
The propaganda agencies of the
bosses are spreading the fallacy that
the workers do not pay taxes. In
reality the workers and working farm
ers are the classes of society which
bear the burden of the bulk of all
taxation.
Direct and indirect taxation and
tariff revenues weigh down upon the
shoulders of the working masses. The
taxes are the basis of public expen-
ditures. Public expenditures, how
ever, are nothing but the costs OF
maintenance of the state apparatus OF
hio hrsinesS Tho collection of tayae