The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1930-11-19
lat the Fifth r. 1. L. U. Congress)
Nv I. ERENBERG


Of the Red International of Labor Unions
heard the reports of its executive committee
The main reporter, Losovsky, general secretary
of the Profintern spoke for six hours and out
lined the downfall of the rotten capitalist system
the steady, rapid growth of the Soviet Union,
the impetous revolts of the revolutionary prole
tartan masses in all the capitalist countries
especially in the colonial and sen1i-colonal coun-
tries.
The representative of the Cornintern, Heckert,
In his three hour speech laid the whole concrete
work of the R.LL.U. and all its sections under
the spectrum of strict feminist Boshevist self
criticism The other reporters told in their hour
long speeches about the work among women,
youth and the oppressed Negroes.
Situation of the Proletariat
Losovsky began his report with an analysis of
the crisis that has shaken the whole economic
structure of the capitalist world. ut is crisis
of production, continuous growth of pro-
ductive possibilities; called forth by the tremen
deus disproportion existing between the produc-
ton and the markets which have been narrowed
down by the pauperzation Of the masses and
by the rebellions in the colonies.
THE whole burden of the world crisis is being
born by the working class. Permanent unem-
ployed armies existed in several capitalist coun-
tries due to capitalist naturalization already be-
fore the crisis. The latter gave birth to an I'M
heard-of extent of unemployment the terrible
weight of which is lowering the standard of
living of the workers and influencing their class
struggles
First comes the U. S. A. with over seven
million unemployed second is Germany with
about four Million then follows Great Britain
with over two million; Japan with two million;
Italy with 100000; Poland with 100000; Austria
with 100000; Latin America with 100000 etc.
In all the capitalist countries there are already
over 100000 unemployed. Every day brings
news OF the closing down Of further factories and
mills, OF the dismissal of further hordes of work
ers. With their families, this means that about
100000 people thrown into misery, famine
and starvation. This army, unprecedented in its
dimensions, for the most part is not receiving
any unemployment benefits and even where such
are granted Germany, Britain, Austria) they
are just sufficient to carry on a seni-starving
existence.
"But this is not yet all the misery that is
crushing the working class. There are millions
working short time, who have been thrown in
this way into misery, famine and starvation. Be
sides all this, there also takes place systematic
lowering OF the standard of living of those who
still work: increasing of their working hours and
lowering of their wages :" and Losovsky brings
figures after figures of each capitalist country
and industry separately, with which he draws
clear and sharp pictures of the terrible misery
and OF the systematic progressive worsenng of
the already terrible conditions of the workers in
every capitalist country
The Soviet Proletariat
Losovsky deals with the extraordinary growth
OF the Soviet economy and the progressive growth
and betterment of the standard of living of the
Soviet proletariat.
While the economic crisis is shaking the
foundations of the whole capitalist and colonial
world, and increasing the misery and degrade
ton OF the working classes, the Soviet Union is
the only country unaffected by its terrible con-
sequences. The reason for this lies in the die
tatorship OF the proetariat, in the naturalization
OF the means of production, and in the systematic
planned work and activity
THE Soviet Union has since the Fourth RI.
L.U. Congress begun to carry out the gigantic
F1ve-Year-Plan Pyatiletka) of socialist construc-
ton, the reconstruction of industry and the COL
lectivization of agriculture The rapid rate of
progress of the industrialization of the Soviet
Union, and the growth of socialist competition
among the workers in the shops and factories are
making 1t possible to complete the Five-Year
Plan In four years. In some industries it will
be completed in three and even two and a half
years cat this point the entire Congress burst
out IN tremendous APPLAUSE
The industrial output of the Soviet Union
constituting 122 per cent of the pre-war produc-
ton at the time of the Fourth RILU Congress-
mas IN l92e-3o risen to 100 per cent of the pre-
war level The industrial growth of the Soviet
Union, made possible by the dictatorship of the
proletariat is accompanied by rapid increase in
tne number OF workers and the improvement of
tneir standard of living. Real wages of the work
ers, including social insurance and contributions
paid into the fund for cultural improvements
nave risen 167 per cent of the pre-war level
While the average working day before the rev.
oiut1on lasted from 10 to II hours, not single
industrial worker there now puts in over hours
per day. In the middle of 1880 more than an rer
cent OF all workers employed are working onlv
seven hours per day, while the workers in dan
gerous industries and those under 1s are work-
ing only six hours per day. The five dav week
embraces about 10 per cent of all industri.1
WORKERS every fifth day being day of rest.
Every workers is granted leave for at least
two weeks while those in dangerous industries
get whole month per year with full pay The
state bears all expenses Of the social insurance
OF the workers dllness, accidents unemployment
old age, etc. and all wage workers are insured
In 1880, $4,000 workers are being sent to the
health resorts at the expense of the social in
surance fund. The building Of workers homes
increases 4o02oo,ooo rubles were expended for
this purpose in 1852 the figure for le2e-3o
being 871,oooooo rubles. Large funds have been
established for the improvement OF culture, So
cial education OF children, cultural and educa-
tional work of the trade unions and are in
creasing every year. While unemployment in the
capitalist countries has reached the figure of