The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1931-02-14

countries are VIGOROUSLY inadequate and now
the bosses, with the assistance of the reaction
any labor leaders, are trying to reduce them.
But the capitalists in these countries are COM
PEELED to pay at least this minimum of relief.
They deliberately nlislead who argue that
American workers receive sufficient wages and
have enough reserves to enable them to meet
the unemployment sltu-tion with their own re-
sources. The workers have no such reserves
The fact is that even in so-called good times,
with wages Of unskilled and semi-skilled workers
not exceeding $40 per week and with large
unemployment prevailing the majority of the
working class were actually living in state of
poverty. With the great increase in unemploy-
ment through the industrial crisis, these vast
masses are thrown face to face with starvation
conditions.
Permanent Mass Unemployment.
They also deliberately falsify the situation who
assert that the unemployment problem is about
at an end that prosperity" with jobs for every
body is just around the corner. First, the in
dustrial slump is still deepening This is indi-
Gated by the continued decline in industry, the
wave of bank failures, the growth of unemploy
mentor December the New York Department
of Labor showed decline of Al per cent in
factory employment. Official figures for jan
uary show further decided declines in produc-
ton and employment. The deepening of the
crisis internationally is indicated by 25000,000
unemployed in the capitalist countries, by the
widespread drop in production, by the rapid fall
ing off of international trade, etc. Second, even
a rise in production in the United States would
not provide "jobs for ALL" For the past ten
years, the rapid naturalization of industry has
been developing a permanent army of unem-
ployed. Just before the present crisis this had
reached the number Of 100000 to 100000
during the 1928 election campaign even the
democratic leaders stated that there were then
100000 unemployed. During the present crisis,
the naturalization process has been greatly has
tened and new vast armies of workers have been
permanently displaced from industry. The
United States now confronts, from rationaliza-
ton and industrial crisis, permanent army of
unemployed numbering several millions.
This situation imperatively demands the insti-
tuition of a system of federal unemployment in
surance Such insurance will not wipe out I'M
employment as it cannot solve the basic con-
tradiction between the rapid expansion of the
forces of capitalist production and the shrinkage
of the purchasing power of the masses, created
because the workers and poor farmers, robbed
by the capitalists cannot buy back the commodi-
ties which they produce. Only the proletarian
revolution can hquidate unemployment by
abolishing the private ownership of the means
of production, the exploitation of the workers,
and production for private profit and by estab-
fishing instead system of social ownership of
industry and of production for social use.
The Russian workers have given a practical
demonstration of how to cure unemployment.
They have completely wiped it out in the So
Wet Union. Their industries are flourishing and
growing at a rate unparalleled in industrial his
tory, while the world capitalist system is par
alyzed. Their industries now require 100000
additional workers, while every capitalist coun-
try Is overwhelmed by a gigantic mass unem-
ployment. Meanwhile, they are steadily rails
ing the wages and living standards of the work.
ers, have established the seven-hour day, five
day week, ETC., while in all the capitalist coun-
tries the wages and general working standards
OF the workers are constantly on the decline.
But II unemployed insurance cannot abolish
unemployment 1t can and will help to relieve
the workers Of the terrible distress arising from
unemployment 1t is In this sense, that the
workers resolutely demand it, and they will in
Grease their struggle for its establishment.
The Workers Unemployment Insurance Bill
In consideration OF all the foregoing facts, we
therefore demand the enactment of Federal
legislation for unemployment insurance. In
order to meet the requirements of the workers.
this must be based upon the following general
propositio