The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1932-12-30
Workers Democracy in
Railroad Union IN USSR|
Contrasts With u s. Slogan: "Pay Your Dues
And Keep Your Mouth Shut!

ed; they participate in drawing un I
all plans concerning their work: 4
and they are also drawn into dis
cussions on the wider problems OF
the industry and their relations to-
building Socialism in the Soviet
Union. On job bulletin boards we
saw notices of workers meeting on
such subjects as the railroad elec-
trification program, the apportion<
ment of man-power on the rails
roads under the Second Five Year
Plan and similar current questions. /
THE only army in the world that
L knows what it is fighting fory''
is the proud slogan of the Red
Army. And the same may be said
for the Soviet army of industrial
workers. The American railroader
is not supposed to know or have
any concern with any more than
his particular job or trade-''hia
not to reason why" The Soviet
workers, on the other hand, ars
free men who know what they are
working for. They are not wage
slaves who are mere cogs in an in
dustrial machine operated by thet
masters, as in America. ~
Another feature of working class
rule is the decisive part played by 6
the union. Practically all the rail-
road workers belong to it, the mem
bership is not compulsory. The
union not only works to improve
job conditions and the workers
welfare generally but participates
actively in running the whole in
dustry. Foremen, managers and
other work directors who break any
OF the trade union rules governing
working conditions are punished
with the severest penalties.
RUN AFFAIRS OF UNION
While American rail workers are
muzzled and gagged by bosses and
union officials, the rank and file
Soviet worker is encouraged in
every way to express his complaints
and suggestions. Not only can he
do this at job and union meetings.
but there are wall newspapers at
every shop and depot TO which any
worker may contribute UNSIGNED
articles, knowing they will receive
attention.
Then there is the great daily
newspaper of the railroad union.
the Gudok (Whistle). The Amer
lean rail union paper Labor is run
exclusively for the benefit of the
union officials. 1t INDUCES in fuI-
some flattery of the most notorious
bureaucrats and grafters, makes
propaganda for all their reaction
airy policies and suppresses any
voice of protest from the rank and
file. Gudol, on the contrary, gives
full play to the rank and file. The
most obscure worker may write in
with full assurance that vigorous
complaint against officials will not
prevent his letter from being pub
liShed.
HUDOK receives as many as 300
u letters day from railroad work
ers, and every one of them is given
due attention. The whole of the
fourth page of each issue is de-
voted to such workers correspond
ence. When there are many let
tiers on one subject, they may be
woven together into one article and
cause the launching Of q special
campaign.
Side by side with the workers
letters published, is a section tell
ing what is being done about the
complaints and suggestions they
contain. If some grievance is not
Strengthened out-even If it be that
only of an Northumberland starts
to raise he'll with the proper au-
thorities. 1t will often kaep after
some official for issue after issue
until action is taken.