The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1930-04-28
PREFACE TO THE PAMPHLET
MAY DAYS IN KHARKOV"

May Day celebrations also point to another
and no less important practical matter. The
first of May festival and demonstration we
read in the pamphlet, was unexpectedly link
ed up with various practical demands which
were presented without proper preparation
and which consequently were doomed to fall
ure." Take, for example, the demands put for
ward by the workers employed in the railway
workshops. Of the fourteen demands put for
ward, eleven represent demands for minor i'm
provements, which can quite easily be OBJ
tanned under the present political system, as
for example increased wages, reduction of
hours, removal of abuses. Included among
these demands, as if identical with them, are
three other demands as follows:
4. Introduction of an eght-hour day; 7.
Guarantee against victimization of the workers
in connection with May Day events 10. The
establishment of joint committee of workers
and employers to settle all disputes between
the two.
The first of these demand Point ~ is the
general demand put forward by the proletariat
in all countries. This fact that this demand
was put forward indicates that the advanced
workers of Kharkov realize their solidarity with
the international Socialist labor movement. But
precisely for this reason demand like this
should not have been included among minor
demands like better treatment by foremen, or
a ten per cent increase in wages. Demands for
wage increases and better treatment can be
and ought to be presented by the workers to
their employers in each separate trade, for
these are trade demands, put forward by sep
arate categories of workers. The demand for
the eight-hour day, however, is the demand of
the whole proletarat, presented, not to individ-
ual employers but to the government as the
representative of the whole of the present day
social and political system, to the capitalist
class as whole, the owners of all the means
of production. The demand for an eight-hour
day has assumed special significance. 1t is
declaration of solidarity with the international
Socialist movement. We must make the work.
ers understand this difference, and prevent them
from reducing it to the level of demands like
free tickets, or the dismissal of watchmen
Throughout the year the workers, first in one
place and then in another, continuously present
a variety of partial demands to their employers
anad fight for these demands. In assisting the
workers in this fight, Socialists must always ex-
plain the connection it has with the proletarian
struggle for emancipation in all countries But
the first of May must be the day on which the
workers solemnly declare that they realize
this connection and resolutely join in the strug-
gle.
Take the tenth demand calling for the es-
Enlistment of a committee for the settlement
of disputes. Such a committee composed of
representatives enjoy complete freedom. What
may, of course, be very useful, but only if the
elections are absolutely free and the elected
representatives enjoy complete freedom. What
would be the use of such committee, if the
workers who oppose the election of the non-
inees of the management, who sharply criticize
the management and expose their tyranny, are
discharged. Consequently, in order that such
a committee may be of use to the workers, the
delegates must be absolutely independent of
the factory management. This can be the case
only when free labor unions, embracing many
factories having their own funds, and prepared
to protect their delegates, are formed. Such
a committee can be useful only in the event of
many factories, and if possible all factories in
the given trade, being organized. Secondly,
it is necessary to secure guarantees for the
personal safety of the delegates, i.e that they
will not be arrested by the police or the gen
darmerie This demand was put forward: 7.
Guarantee of the involability of the person
of the workers. But from whom can the work
ers demand guarantees for the inviolability of
the person and the freedom of the labor unions
(which, as we have seen, are necessary for the
success of the committee)? Only from the
state, because the absense of inviolability of
the person and freedom of labor unions is due
to the character of the fundamental laws of the
Russian state More than that; it is due to the
very form of government in Russia. The form
of government in Russia is that of an absolute
monarchy. The Gar is an autocrat. He alone
passes laws and appoints the higher officials.
while the people and the peoples representa-
tives have no say in the matter at all. Under
such system of government, there can be no
inviolability of person: citizens associations
and particularly working class associations can
not be free. For that reason, to demand guar
antees of the inviolabilty of the person land
freedom of associatiop) from an autocratic
state is useless; for such demands are tanta-
mount to demanding political rights for the
autocratic precisely for the reason that it i'm
plies that the people are deprived of political
rights.
1t will be possible to obtain guarantees for
the inviolability of the person land freedom
of association only when representatives of
the people will take part in the passing of
laws and in the whole administration of the
state. Even if the autocratic government does
make certain petty concessions, it will always
nulfy them by some means or other, unless
body of peoples representatives exists to
check it. The May Day celebrations in Khar-
kov proved this again and again. The governor
conceded the demands Of the masses of the
workers, and released the workers who had been
arrested But within day or two, receiving
an order from St. Petersburg, he again sar-
rested scores Of workers The provincial and
factory officials ntoov i,,,,,,pi+v for dial