The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1932-10-06
WHILE in u. S.
THE GOVT ONLY
AIDS BANKERS
Lets Jobless Millions
Starve Amidst
Plenty
BY MYRA PAGE

tuberculosis He was the one bread
winner in the family, with wife and
two small children The doctor had
declared that he must have treat
n1ent in a sanitorium. and that he
should never work below ground
again.
Everyone knows that disaster is
what this would mean for a miner
and his family in Pennsylvania or
Kentucky. Not only economic hard
ships, cutting down on food supplies
mounting doctors bills and eviction
from his shack; but unable to af-
ford sanitorium treatment, the I'M
fortunate father would see his chill
6re1 fall victims to the disease, as
we'll.
1t is Otherwise in the Soviet Union
This miner, with all expenses paid
by the state, was sent to sanitoriun
in the Crimea, to remain until he is
entirely we'll In the meantime, his
full wages of $50 roubles were paid,
so that his home has been kept in
tao.
Through the system of free. peri
cdic health examinations, which all
miners as well as other workers re-
ceive in the dispensaries and clinics
this workers illness was detected in
It's earliest stage. This means that
it will take him only short period to
recover Likewise his wife, and chill
dren, like all wage earners' families,
have been receiving free medical at
tention and any needed medical sup
plies the year round. BY his going
TO a sanitorium, his children have
been protected against getting the
disease.
At the same time. the six-hour day
from bank to bank, better working
End living conditions are reducing
the tuberculosis rate among Soviet
miners to marked extent.
When he is we'll again this miner
will be re-trained, at no cost to him
self, at some lighter occupation
Meanwhile, his former wages go on,
until he is qualified for his new
trade.
Pensions for Disabled Workers,
This is how the Soviet law on So
cial insurance operates. If it had
happened that this miner had per-
manently lost all or part of his
working capacity then he would re-
ceive life pension from the state.
The exact amount would. depend on
the extent of his incapacity and on
the number of years he had worked
in the industry If he had lost all
working capacity calling in Group
Al, then he would receive as a
minimum II per cent of his former
wages. up to 100 per cent. If he
fell in "Graup b. of invalidity, then
he would receive from Sc to IS per
cent, and in Group O." of those
only partially disabled, he would re-
ceive a pension amounting to 80 to
e8 per cent of his former earnings
These rates apply to all dangerous
and underground trades, in heavy in
dustry. Division No. H.
The rates for other divisions Of in
dustry are as follows: Division IL
which includes all those employed in
other heavy industries. including
transport-for Group A"-pensions
ranging from 60 to 80 per cent of
former wages
for Group B" from 81 to rs per
cent, for "Group c" from 81 to
So per cent
Division III-which includes all
employed in light industry. such as
textiles and food sst AtH'
for Group A. 81 to 80 per cent,
for Group B" So to 65 per cent,
for Group G" 35 to as per cent
Naturally, the question of depen-
dents is taken into account, when
determining the pension rate granted.
Insurance Costs Workers Not One
Penny.
Caring for those who are ILL., and
for their families, is. only one aspect
of the Soviet system Of social in
surances 1t is a. basic principle, in
corporated into law, that all those
who are employed, in whatever capa-
city, must be--insured, through the
state, by the industry, institution, or
organization of private employers
employing them. This insurance COW
ers all forms of disability to work,
such as old age, accident, pregnancy
as well as provisions for the care of
orphans and system of unemploy-
ment insurance. Since 1880, how
ever, there has been no unemploy-
ment in the Soviet Union, as the
vigorous socialist society has succeed
ed in abolishing this scourge o. capt.
talist civilization. So the funds once
set aside for paying unemployed ben
efits are now utilized for the giving
of free training to unskilled workers,
to become highly qualified mechanics
and technicians.
Everybody who is employed is COW
cred by this state social Insurance
In 1892. ii embraces twenty two and
half millions
The total budget expended for So
cial insurance in 1882 reaches the
tremendous sum of four billion rou-
bl-s. tOvsr two billion dollars). This
represents an increase of three and
one-half times the budget Of 1928. 1t
also represents an economic security
for the population that has to be
experienced, at. first hand, to be fully
appreciated.
Where. you ask, does all this money