The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-09-30

IN mining shows that the average
wages of the 100000 Soviet miners
have more than doubled in that time.
Here are the figures:
1928, go roubles a month per workor.
1929, IS roubles a month per worker.
1890, II roubles month per worker.
1881, SO roubles a month per worker.
1852, 122 roubles a month per worker.
1888, las roubles a month per worker.
1888 Increase
In 1888 the plan for the coal in
dustry calls for a further increase of
10 per cent, in the wage standards
of the miners. Besides these money
wages, the miner has the advantage
of a complete system of social in
surance, for sickness, unemployment,
old age. for which he pays no con-
tribution at all. He has free medical
attention, a vacation with full pay
of one month per year if he is an
underground worker e weeks if
above ground and free accommoda-
ton in health resort or rest home.
The miners in the Soviet Union pay
nothing for their commissary sup
plies. They receive these and their
work clothes free of charge from the
industry. The standard of living of
the miners in the Soviet Union is
not determined by money wages as
it is in the U.S.A. The elaborate
system of social insurance, workers
parks, theatres, clubs, institutions for
higher learning, planned increased
production and controlled prices are
worked out for the benefit of those
who work.
Too Many Miners-NO Unemployment
Insurance
The conditions of the miners in
the United States presents an en-
tirely different picture. In 1923 there
were, not figuring the cap I've mines,
1881 commercial mines. BY 1881 there
were only 5,642 with a capacity of
736,000,000 tons a year. Over 5000
mines have been closed. Here are
some figures to ponder over which
are conveniently ignored by the MIRA
code makers:
In 1928 there were 704,793 miners
who worked 213 days at $3.50 per day
In 1892 there were 379,565 miners
who worked 145 days at $500 and less
This means that not only has the
wages per day been cut, that more
than 100000 miners will not again
be hired, but that even those who
find work are only employed about
five months per year.
One hundred and forty-flve days
work in 1888 at the code scale OF
$3.50 for eight hours, and there is nc
reason to believe that there will be
any more work in 1888 than there
was in 1882; means yearly income
of $667. However, the miner has
many things to pay before he gets
his pay. Commissary supplies, ETC.
eat up everything except the pay en-
velope sometimes. There is no pro-
vision for sickness, accidents, unem-
ployment; the living standard of his
family depends upon this meager pay
envelop. But only $4,000 miners got
145 days work. What about the other
325 $50 who are totally unemployed?
The MIRA. Roosevelt, John L. Lewis
code just leaves them out of the pic
ture altogether. $500 if you can
find a job, starve if you can't! But
even though the money wages does
not determine the living standards
of the Soviet miner, an analysis
shows that the miners in the Soviet
Union are far ahead Of their Amer
lean brother even in his money
wages.
The militant strike of the Western
Pennsylvania miners can result in
lettering the conditions Of the miners
but only if they conduct their own
strike, raise the demand for unem-
ployment insurance, continue and
spread the strike until all their de-
mands are won. But this will only
be one step in the fight against the
bosses way out of the crisis expressed
most wildly in the MIRA. The Soviet
miners along with the rest of the
Russian workers and peasants in 1917
won their final struggle against cap
italist exploitation, which was the
cause of all hunger, misery, unem-
ployment, crises and wars. That is
why they are marching to greater and
greater victories