davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1930-09-13
HOW RUSSIAN WORKERS
RUN THEIR INDUSTRIES
Adjust Grievances and Improve Conditions
Through Their Unions and Shop Committees

three are known here as the tri-
angle and decide all questions)
met a number of times but could
not formulate an agreement salts
factory to the workers. The ques-
ton was then referred to the arbit-
ration committee, consisting of shop
chairman, director and third inn
partial chairman from the workers.
inspection committee. This arbitra-
ton committee ruled in favor of
the administration. But the workers
rejected it and appealed to the La
Dor Department. The Labor Depart
ment, after hearing both sides, de-
cided the last two points in favor
Of the workers, and on the first
two points, they designated a spe-
cial commission to determine
whether these workers under dis
pute should be classed in the cate
CORY of dangerous and unhealthy
work. The workers then signed the
agreement. The special commission
later also decided in favor of the
workers, pointing out that the
chemical vapors affect all workers.
The whole controversy lasted three
months.
The committee on conflicts, in a
similar way, takes up each and
every complaint that a worker as
an individual, or the workers as a
group or as whole, may have,
from day to day during the year.
Judging from my own shop and
from what l was told, the workers
don't let any infringement go by I'M
challenged.
The committee on safety and pro-
lection looks after proper safety de-
vices of the machines, proper ven-
tilation, light, cleanliness, etc. The
chairman of this committee is
specially trained man and devotes
all or part of his time to this work.
depending upon the size of the fac
tory. Large factories have at least
one such specialist on full time.
The Cultural Committee is one Of
the most active committees in the
plant. They arrange classes, excur-
sions, visits to theatres or to any
public spectacle of any interest.
They arrange special discussions.
In my place, for instance, there will
be in few days a discussion on
the Five Year Plan. Last week the
announcement was made and list
passed around for all those who
care to speak to designate their in
tention by signing their names. The
function of this committee is to get
every worker to do some social work,
to belong to some organization, and
there are many such organizations.
Believe me, the committee does its
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1930-09-13

hopes. Enthusing them with new
faith and determination by her
songs and fiery speeches.
Ella May, a beacon light to south
ern toilers, pointing the path along
which they must march, in firm
ranks, colored and white side by
side, on to freedom. Proof of the
vast potentialities of courage and
leadership which lie hidden in the
southern working class, and which
the revolutionary unions and Com
munist Party will call forth.
Falling in the cause of her work
ing people, this woman toiler lives
on in their love and memory and in
the heart of the worlds working
class. For she stands forth as a
symbol of the confidence and dar-
ing with which Americas laboring
millions take up the struggle, and
as pledge of southern toilers that
they have taken their place, once
and for all, in the front ranks of the
international working class in its
battle for working peoples world.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1930-09-13

their eyes. Old furniture, pieces of
lumber and boxes piled everywhere.
A flood of dust made them cough
and sneeze.
theoretically they set to work.
First the junk must be cleared out,
next the murky, streaked windows
washed, and also the walls, and the
floor swept. Then they would paint
the walls and floor and after that
For three days the Pioneers and
children's committees labored, while
other children from the neighbor-
hood whispered over what must be
going on inside. Everyone on the
committees went about smiling
mysteriously, but when it came to
giving information, they were clans.
To all questions they simply ans
wered, "Oh, we're still cleaning up"
or " It'll be ready soon now" Many
buckets of paint disappeared inside,
then chairs and small tables, and
many boxes.
But the Pioneers were not too
absorbed in their work to forget
about Fatima. But she was as hard
to catch up and make friends with
as white-tailed rabbit. The second
day, Boris, a Pioneer who some
times let his temper get away with
him, on coming into the courtyard
CHANGED upon Mishka haunting Fa-
TINA.
"Heh, there, you big bully, leave
that little girl alone" Once again
Fatima disappeared while Mishka
and Boris let their fists fly. The
children of the neighborhood watched
the fight from a distance crying to
Boris, "Give it him! Give it him!"
Boris was a head smaller than
Mishka, but he was wiry and quick.
Squeals of delight went up as Boris
threw Mishka down and sat on him,
Nov promise to quit bullying the
children around here" Shamefaced
Mishka slouched off. His power as
bully was gone forever.
Nick and Vanya, hearing sounds
in the court, hurried out, just as. the
fight ended. "Why, Boris, YOU
know that is no way for Pioneers
to act toward youth of the work
ingc lass. Mishka is a victim of
his surroundings. We must seek
to win him over" Boris flushed.
Yes, he had been too hasty. Mean
while, the courtyard children cele-
brated the end of the bully's rule.
Ito be continued.)
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1930-09-13
Moscow, June IA, 1880.
Dear Mark :


Dear Mark:
In my last letter l promised to
write you something about how the
workers of the Soviet Union control
their working conditions in the fac
tory.
Here is how and to what extent
the workers control and regulate
their welfare and working condi-
tons in the factory. In the first
place, they have their trade union
to safeguard their general economic
interests; then the workers regular
monthly meetings sometimes more
often, and the shop committee with
its subcommittee. l shall write
here about the latter form.
Once each year, at their regular
meeting the workers. elect a shop
committee. This committee then
elects its subcommittee: /. Com
mittee on conflicts. 2. For labor
protection. 3. Cultural, etc.
The chairman of the shop COM
mittee devotes all his leisure to this
work and is paid rs per cent by
industry administration and 25 per
cent by the union. In large fac
tories more than one such paid
worker is elected. Each year the
workers draw up and sign a colIec-
tive agreement with the administra-
ton of the particular factory. 1t is
a most interesting document. 1t
provides in minute detail all the
projections for the workers. Let
me, by concrete example, show how
this agreement is reached. In the
chemical laboratory where Mirel
London (Noah's wife-you remem-
Der her from New York; works, the
workers met last year number of
times and set forth what they
thought should be included in the
new agreement. The shop committee
presented it to the administrative
committee. The administrative COM
mittee took exception to some de-
mands. Some of these disputed
points were as follows: The work
ers demanded Q) that not only the
chemists should receive four weeks
vacation but all the workers in the
plant, including office workers, por-
tiers, ETC.; (2) that all workers, not
only the chemists, should receive an
additional bottle of milk, butter,
ETC., each day; (3) that the ad-
ministration should provide three
smocks a year instead of two; (4)
that two chemists be sent to Europe
to study. On the first two demands,
the administration argued that these
workers should not be classed in
the category of dangerous and I'M
healthy work, since they are not
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1930-09-13
HUNGRY WORKER SELLS
HIS SHIRT FOR A MEAL
Wealthy Parasite Benoans Hardship as Forced
by Crisis to Sell Race Horses

than $6,00O,00O, he sold his house
and property at Liverpool, Bootle,
Kirkdale, and Waltore' This gives
his "Lordship" an income of more
than fourteen million during the
past ten years. Furthermore, in or
der to make certain he will, not be
compelled in his abject poverty to
sell any more of "merrie England"
the Lord, so the paper tells US,
dropped seventy men from his pay
roll at Knowsley Hall at the end Of
June, adding to England, more than
two million unemployed, and at is
understood that he is considering
disposing of his London estate to
live in Kent
MorrOws Live In Palaces While
Workers Starve.
We do not know much about that
small estate in Kent, but we imagine
that it is quite a simple spot, some
what similar to the little fifty acre
castle and grounds that "our own"
Mexico Morrow occupies over in
Jersey. Anyway, our hearts aIc
torn to shreGs by this terrible tale
from England and nothing less than
bayonets could properly express the
grief we fell for this poverty
ridden parasite.
We suggest that his "Lordship"
retain at least one of his horses,
because when the English workers
arrive, we are reasonably sure he
wilt need it.
The tale of John Murphy selling
his shirt to get the price of a meal
will not make much impression on
Americas SO Dictators, but we are
confident "His Lordship"'s poverty
will drive many of them to the race
track.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1930-09-13
IN BIRMINGHAM JAIL


conscious baby, with such a virile
| healthy hate for cops, and especially
coal and iron police. l sat on the
bunk listening to him and thought
of what a fine revolutionist he
would make!
They were talking about the
South and what a helluva place it
is to live in. The thing that pleased
me most was that none of them
wanted to run away, to go north !;
they wanted to change the south.
Most of them had been north and
had lost their illusions.
Arrested with US was a preacher,
a small, heavy set fellow, with
cropped ear. He had been caught
| with a Daily Worker in his hand.
He passed to and fro in the cell and
gave us, in soft, mellow voice, a
splendid repertoire of Negro spirit
uals.
But Negro spirituals are no long
er new in the south, no longer have
the awe-inspiring appeal as in the
North, and soon some of the boys
began teasing him about his flock.
What are they going to do to-
morrow, Rev." he was asked. "You
won't get any chicken this Sum-
day!" CThis was a Saturday,, some
one else declared.
Across the way was the cell of
the women prisoners. From the
window in our lavatory we could
look into it. There were about sixty
girls, arrested for diverse things,
but mostly for prostitution, forced
upon them, in many cases, by the
merciless onslaught of the econo-
mic crisis. Under pretense of US
ing the lavatory, the reverend
watched them for nearly two hours.
Being in Jail was no great pun
ishment for him under these cir
cumstances, but were he removed to
another cell from which he could not
see the girls undress for the night,
| am sure he would have renowned
his god! l was unpleasantly re-
minded of Somerset Maugham's
story "Miss Thompson" In it a
reverend, subject to years Of repres-
sion, of failure to fulfill the natural
functions of mankind, had set him.
self the task of bringing about the
regeneration of prostitute only to
rape her when she had come under
his influence. Souvenirs of capital
ism: Somerset Maugham's reverend,
our cropped-ear minister.
Mistakes are sometimes made by
the Birmingham police. A guiltless
Negro legally or extra-legally
lynched for an alleged rape only to
have the woman confess she lied
after his death; a Negro shot to
death on dark and deserted street
because Of his striking resemb-
lance" to cops memory picture of
a police album character. mistake,
dire, beastly, frequent.
Smaller mistakes are also some-
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1930-09-13
BY ANDERSOLL

A few days ago the New York
Times published a few lines on an
inside page about an aged worker,
John Murphy, who was found try
ing to sell the shirt off his back
in order to get the price of a meal,
Murphy, obviously suffering from
exhaustion, was taken to a hospital
where the doctors stated that he
had been without food for so long
a time that little hope was held
out for his recovery. After forty
years of shaving for the bosses, this
was his reward-death from starva-
ton. And there are literally hun
dreds and thousands like Murphy in
the country today.
On the front page of the Times
for August 90 another case of "hor-
rible hardship is described. Lord
Derby, a fat-headed, useless British
parasite who never did a tap of
work in his entire life, has been
forced to sell some of his race hor-
ses so he can pay his taxes. An
other victim of the economic crisis
which is sweeping the capitalist
world. But wait, comrades. Save
your tears, until the narrowing
details of this sad case have all
been told. The Times goes on to
say: "Thus far this year his horses
have won in stakes more than
s130,00O. Two years ago he won
100000, and never in years less
than 100000.
Fearing that this description of
English poverty may leave US cold,
the Times continues, "In 1925, Lord
Derby sold his Bury and Pilking-
ton estates for around $5,000,000.
Two years later at a price of more
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1930-09-13

Lenin, and representatives Of the
Russian academies, the commits
sioner of education and of agricul-
ture.
In speech Comrade Krupskaya
showed how the development of the
system of education was not a new
one. She pointed out how Lenin
had always stressed the importance
of the schools for building of a
strong workers state. With the de.
cision of the Communist Party to
have enough schools built so that
all children Of school age would bs
able to receive the proper educa-
tional training, the government is
carrying out the teachings of Lenin.
Only with the making of the work.
ers' and peasants children Of the
U. S. S. r. into intelligent and USE
full members of the workers. society
can the socialist system be built up,
In 1914-15, when the tsar still
ruled in Russia, there were only
I2o6,OOU children attending the
schools. With the building of So-
cialism the figures of children at
tending school mounted higher and
higher. In 1929-30 there were POS
per cent more children attending
school than in 192S-29. In absolute
figures this amounted to 11,79O, 600
children of elementary school age
According to the new plan of com.
pulsory education, in 1882 there will
be 100000 children of eight. nine,
ten and eleven years of age attend.
ing school.
Because the Soviet Government is
interested in having every nation
atty, irregardless Of how small or
large it is, develop itself, the gov
eminent has in some cases even
made alphabets for the different
tribes and at present in the U. S.
s. r. 35 different languages ara
taught in the schools.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1930-09-13
By GILBERT LEWIS

By GILBERT LEWIS
Write me a letter, send it by mail;
Send it in care of Birmingham jail.
Birmingham Jail, Birmingham Jail,
Send it in care of Birmingham jail.
The above lines are taken from a
folk song of the south. The first
time and place l heard it was two
o'clock one morning as several of
us drove along the highway to Chat
tanooga, Tenn. from Atlanta, Ga.
where we held a fine mass meeting.
The comrade driving the car, him.
self a southerner, broke into the re-
frain to keep awake. Someone
joined him. Soon all were wailing
away, fascinated by the calm, easy
rhythm of the thing. Someone spoke
of how the Gastonia strikers, fac
ing electrocution for militantly
struggling for the right to live, had
changed Birmingham" to Seas
tonia" and had sung the number
with rousing gusto.
This was the way with the work
ers, ever changing the name to suit
their own locality, ever seeing in
the words of the composer a reflec-
ton of their own misery. 1t was
this that had made it one of the
most popular numbers below the
Mason and Dixon line.
The next time | heard the song
was in Birmingham Jail. A fellow
prisoner, sitting on his bunk play
ing solitaire, hummed it softly to
himself.
Capitol Park in Birmingham is
Woodrow Wilson and white suprem-
acy. Negroes passing through this
park find it necessary to keep NOV
ing. Under no circumstances may
they stand around or sit beneath the
shady trees, no matter how hot the
day or how tired they may be.
A short time ago joint meeting
called by the Communist Party and
Trade Union Unity League to pro-
test lynching assembled in this park
some two hundred white and four
hundred Negro workers, the latter
already sufficiently rallying to the
program of the Communist Party
to hurl certain defiance at their
age-old oppressors. Also among the
audience was no small amount of
plain-clothed "dicks," harness bulls,
high officials of the Khan and high
city and state officials.
They did not like the presence of
Negroes in the park but said moth
ing. The white speaker for the
Communist Party spoke for one
hour, an hour in which the system
of race and class oppression was
picked to pieces with minute care
and laid bare for all workers to
behold.
Then suddenly Negro speaker
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1930-09-13

what he is: a hoarder of sorely
needed grain in the earlier years, a
saboteur of the Soviet power, an
assassin Of Soviet officials and the
base for recrudescent capitalism.
We understand sharply the great
historical necessity for the complete
liquidation of the kulak class as a
prerequisite and guarantee for the
building of socialism.
Brusski is an invaluable picture
in arriving at a fuller understand
ing of the import of the stupendous
achievements of collectivization I'M
der the Five-Year Plan, its back
ground, etc.
Brusski rounds out the por-
traitures of different phases of the
Russian Revolution and socialist
construction contained in Cement"
a novel depicting the workers new
life and the building up of industry
shattered during the war period;
"The Nineteen" a gripping story
of the Civil War days, and "Azure
Cities" a collection of short stories
which deal with various phases Of
life in the Soviet Union.
Don't miss reading this important
novel Of Soviet peasant life.
FRED VIGMAN.
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1930-09-13
Children of the Neev Day
"A Story of Soviet Youth
A Written Version of the Russian Movie For
American Working Class Children

The next morning found the whole
troop of Pioneers on their. way to
begin work on the playroom. Lucki-
ly it was summer, so there was
plenty of free time. The troop
made such a strengthening brig
ade marching along with brooms,
mops, paint brushes, pals, and cans
Of paint. There was also plenty of
strong soap, for the committee re-
ported that the room would need
it.
1t was a lovely morning, as the
youngsters swung along, singing
and happy over the job they were
going to do. There were a few mis-
haps, for these objects were awk-
ward to carry. Task accidentally
banged Nick across the shoulders
with her mop, and there were nu-
merous calls of watch out, you're
poking me in the ribs with that
broom" or "That pail is banging
the back of my legs" Alex, tripping,
dropped his brushes and cakes of
soap which landed on his compan-
ions toe. But no one got out of
humor, all joining in a good laugh
When the Pioneers reached the
courtyard, children ran from all
corners to greet them. 'Here're the
Pioneers, the Pioneers," they cho.
rused. Fatima was not among
them. "What all have you got
there?" "Are those the things?'
pointing to Alexis soap and brush.
es, chat makes a playroom ?" "No
of course not, but first we have to
clean it up, and get everything
ready" fash spoke in an important
voice.
"It's going to be surprise from
us to you, so it'll be a secret until
it's all DONE" Alex put in excitedly
"How long will it take?" "Oh
days and days, maybe" Nick spoke
up. dyes, there's lots to be done
but we'll finish it up as soon as
ever we can" ooh, do let US help
the children begged. Yes, the Pho.
neers agreed, it was right that the
courtyard children should have q
part in making the playroom. Then
they would feel it was more theirs
So committees and shifts were
chosen then and there and the work
was divided up.
AS they opened the door to the
room the housing commission had
assigned them, what sight greeted
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1930-09-13

was introduced. Not merely a
Negro speaker, but one who Incl
dentally could speak. Straightway
he began to attack the premise of
white superiority and the Ku Klux
Khan, the latter having only a few
nights before paraded through the
Negro sections of the town terroriz-
ing the workers. Pandemonium
reigned. The bourgeois bastards
couldn't sit still, 1t was not enough
that Negroes had come into the
park, it was not enough for a Negro
to speak in the park, it was not
enough for him to attack the khan
.. he had dared talk about social
equality!
The bourgeois mind at work:
White supremacy was being threat
ened. 1t was alright for a white
man to talk about social equality
if he wanted to sleep with a
"nigger wench" that was his bust
ness. Blu ia Negro demanding
the right to sleep with a white
woman! And with four hundred
Negroes listening to him. Some
thing had to be done. 1t took them
ten minutes, however, to make up
their minds as to what, for after all
the four hundred Negroes looked
formidable indeed!
Finally, he police on a signal
from the head of the Khan, smashed
the meeting. Two white organizers,
the Negro organizer and two Ne
gro workers were arrested!
"523-C. Dangerous and SUSPECT
GUS! Held for Investigations This
was the charge on which we were
held. 1t mattered not that we had
committed no crime; it mattered not
that we had no connection with
thugs and criminals; we were Reds,
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1930-09-13

organizers, advocates Of racial
equality, advocates of the abolition
of wage slavery, advocates of a new
system of government. We were
therefore dangerous and suspicious.
key-boys, trustees, etc, were not al
lowed near us, to talk to us. Others
could have books, magazines, papers.
but we could have nothing, for we
were dangerous and suspicious. This
is always the charge they place
against you when they have no def
mite charge to make-"Held for in
vestigation,"
There were seven of us in 523-C.
an unusually small amount for this
cell, with a capacity for about twen-
ty-five. Three of the prisoners had
been there for nearly two weeks.
There were no charges against them.
None would be placed against them.
They would simply hold them long
enough to make them realize that
Birmingham was a bad place for
Negroes, especially militant Ne
groes. Jails, Khan, police terror,
swords of Damocles over the heads
Of the Negro workers. But
One of the three was coal miner
from West Virginia. He had come
to Birmingham in search of work
in Che mines, and had been arrested
almost the moment he stepped off
the freight. lie was real class
The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1930-09-13
Brusski, the Soil Redeemed, story
of peasant life in the Soviet
Union, by F. Panferov, Inter-
national Publishers.

Brusski catches wildly the ka-
leidoscopic changes in peasant
village on the banks of the Volga
River, as class forces change, as
the struggle between the poor pea
SAINTS and the kulaks, with the mid
die peasant now neutral, now trail
ing in the wake of the kulak, now
recalled sharply back to the fight
against the kulak, is waged inter-
mittently.
The scene at the district Soviet
conference conveys intrinsically the
tense atmosphere of kulak versus
poor peasant in deadlock, with the
Communist peasants battling on
concrete issues to win over the ma
jority of poor peasants and the hesi-
tant middle peasants.
The author divides the book into
what he calls the six links, the six
definite stages of the development
of the peasants of the Volga village
TO the point Of collectivization.
The smytchka, the alliance of the
industrial workers with the poor and