The daily worker., 1930-11-24

lied and by the end of the Five-Year Plan 80
per cent, whereas prior to the war the process
of obtaining coal in Russia was not at all me-
chanized. In spite of the rapid growth of me-
chanization in the Soviet mining industry the
number Of workers is continually growing Dur
ing the last two years the number Of miners
went up by 114,oo0 or 81 per cent from $4,000
to $4,000. simultaneously, the conditions of the
miners improved and the wages were increased
by 18 per cent, living conditions and the pos
Sbilitias of rest and medical treatment for the
miners have improved
The number of miners staying in Soviet rest
homes is steadily growing. In 1926 the number
OF miners staying in these institutions was 2O0O
in 1927, $1,000; 1928, $4,000 and in 1929 IS 900.
The newspapers of the capitalist countries
would make the workers believe that the con-
ditions of the Russian miners are inhuman and
that poor wages are being paid. The delegates
from the Mine, Oil and Smelter Workers In
dustrial Union of America had chance to make
themselves acquainted with the conditions of
the oSviet miners, they were told in huge mass
meetings of the miners to come back to Amer
lea and tell the miners that they had plenty to
eat and were happy To tell the American work.
ers of the six-hour day and the four-day week,
of the continued Improvement of their condi-
tions and of the rises in their wages. The above
are facts and all the Shiny lying papers of the
capitalist world cannot blur them, the miners
OF America and other countries will hear of
them and will be spurred to fight under the
leadership of the RIL.U. for the realization of
the same, not under capitalism, of course
The Red Union and Oppositions.
The degeneration of the reforn1ist unions on
an international SCALE and the betrayals of the
social fascists who is in the case of America
are acting "left wings" of the out and out
fascist unions have been two great factors in
the growth and influence of the Red miners
unions and opopsitions under the leadership of
the RILU. Greater still is the fact that our
forces displayed revolutionary leadership in the
struggles of the miners since the last world con-
ference of the ICP. The conference while point
ing out great gains made in the period of two
and hall years also exposed the weaknesses
and shortcomings manifested during activity in
that period One of the great weaknesses was
the underestimation of the Will of the miners to
struggle in the case of the strike in Illinois
in December, 1929 The failure to apply correctlv
the line of the ICP. as regards the united front
from below and the election of broad rank and
lille strike committees. insufficient preparations
for strikes and lack of consideration for local and
immediate demands arbitrary action not involv-
ing masses of miners in their own struggles, ap-
pointment of strike committees, ETC. as in the
case of the French miners strike Agitatioral
activities of the Red unions are still weak the
press organs appear irregularly. and have not
yet been raised to the right plain The confer
ence stated that forces did not pay sufficient
attention to the activities of the social fascsts
and failed to expose them to the miners
These were the outstanding shortcomings and
weaknesses OF our union in the past struggles
The conference clarified the line and demanded
the correct application of it to the struggles and
organization of the miners for their fight against
the mine owners and their agents. the govern
ments, the reformsts and the social fascsts.
The conference called for relentless fight espe-
cially against the social fascists who in America
are presented in the U.M.W.A. by such people
as Howat, Fishwick, Corner and Walker, these
people as those from other countries most Of
whom hail from the yellow socialist party which
long ago betrayed the working class as in the
case of Germany and England and even in the
U. s. where this party denies the existence OF
the class struggle.