The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1928-09-11

Russia Esthonia received a number
of more or less big factories in
Guiding the "Krengolmskaya Man.
ufactura," one of the biggest tex
tile factories, the Narvas clothes
mill, the gigantic Russian-Baltic
shipbuilding factory a. S. o.
But most of the giants are either
stopping or they work a 1920 per
cent quota. This is explained by
the fact that since the Soviet-Es-
thonian frontier was traced the Es-
thonian industry was deprived of
the Russian market and that owing
to the low level of its production
she can not beat the competition on
the west European market. The
Esthonian capital is, however, not
capable to reorganize the production
of its factories. As for the interior
market of the country, it can not
absorbs even half of the production
of these factories. This is why most
of them are stopping, their machin-
cry becomes old, the tools are rusty,
the plants half destroyed and from
one year to the other the chances
of the restitution of their former
potence are becoming less and less.
The working hands which had
been left idle outside these factor
les do not find any employment not
only in the towns but in the coun-
try and form a part of the enormous
army of the unemployed. The work
er of the town does not go to the
village as the Esthonian boss peas
ants and landlords are pressing out
the last farthing of energy of the
poor agricultural workers for mis-
cradle pittance of food and an in
finitesimal day pay. And therefor
lamentable as the situation of the
unemployed is in the towns the la
Dor exchange is unable to satisfy
the demand of the country for work
ing hands. The industrial stoppage
was a great blow against the Es-
thonian working class. It's trade or
CARNATIONS are powerless and can
not practically give much help to its
members. The Esthonian worker
earns monthly not more than 20 ru-
bles worth. And only highly quail
fled metal workers, of whom there
are so little in Esthonia and the
workers of the printing trade earn
something like 40-50 rubles per
month. 1t stands to reason that
even this "big" sum is hardly suf-
ficient to assure an assistance to the
family Of the worker.
1t is but natural that under
these conditions the Esthonian
worker is susceptible for revolution
airy ideas. This made the dominating
rich peasant parties in Esthonia to
introduce a whole system of cruel
terror in the country.
After the memorable revolt of the
Esthonian workers of December LIST,
1924, martial law was introduced in
the country being in force even now
in the greatest part of its territory
and particularly in the industrial
centers. Any attempt of the work
ing class to refuse obedience in
wolves a persecution Of the military
tribunal. According to Esthonian
statutes 10 per cent of the whole
population are held in state prisons.
The majority of the deficits being of
the category of political offense.
This regime is truly characterized
by a recent trial of number of
working women who were con-
demned to many years Of imprison-
ment with hard labor for member
ship in the IRR organization. In
particular, one of these women was
severely punished for having acted
in commission Of the IRR as inter-
midary at sending food parcels to
political prisoners.
Nevertheless the Esthonian prole-
tariat is firm in defending its
rights. Not quite long ago the Es-
thonian tailors were on strike and,
although their organization is not a
1 strong one, they succeeded in secur-
ing full satisfaction of all their de-
mands by the owners. The textile
workers of Narva have likewise de-
manded some small raise in wages
a few weeks ago. AS the factory
owners refused to comply the work
ing women took up passive resis-
lance and won.
1t is two months now that the
heroic fight Of the Esthonian print
ers is lasting. They have created a
strong and firm trade union which
was the first among all Esthonian
trade unions, to force the owners
some years ago, to enter collective
wage agreements extending to all
the 600-800 members of the union
Now this trade union has engaged
a new strike war against the own
ers Of printing houses aiming at a
raise in wages that would create
conditions of work corresponding te
those of the west European print