The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-12-09

an interest in production. With 2
rapidly growing industrial employ
ment, all the old town workers were
absorbed some time ago. Masses are
coming in from the villages, unSkilled
and perhaps with narrow interests
The worker in the lowest grade sell
dom stays there long It Is to his
direct immediate personal interest 70
gain skill and gain higher wage.
and this he does. But this also
benefits socialist construction and the
whole mass of workers.
Question: Is there any danger OF
workers aristocracy developing2
Answer: No ANY worker can easily
become highly qualified. It is easy
for worker to enter universities and
technical schools. The industry is
growing so fast that there is always
a desperate need for highly skilled
workers. It is even necessary to take
some skilled men from one plant and
send them to a new one opening up.
AL who will take the trouble to gain
engineering knowledge are allowed to
do so, and Immediately jobs are
found for them. Industry grows
rapidly, and agriculture as it becomes
mechanical requires engineers and
scientists.
Question: Why is there piece work
in the Soviet Union factories? Work
ers in capitalist countries fight piece
work
Answer: Ours is different. In cap
italist countries piece work is
method of cutting wages. AS the
workers skill and speed increase more
and more Is demanded from him for
the same or even lower wage per
day in q capitalist factory. But with
us there is no such thing. The rates
are liked by agreement with the
unions, yearly. There Ia q seven
hour day, only. If the worker in
creaSes his ability to produce, he
merely gets more wages by that.
Piece rate Is also q means Of re-
moving inequality. By day rates
worker from the city might toll dill
gently and produce much, and see
new man from the village, with per-
hapS a bad psychology, loafing on the
job and getting the same wage. That
would be unequal treatment. With
piece rates this inequality Is removed;
and the new worker, whatever his at
titude toward the work, is encouraged
to learn and to do well.
Question: Do workers with Old age
pensions pay taxi
Answer; No. Men over So and
women over 30 years OF age get old
age pensions. II they wish to con-
tinue to work, they may do 50 and
suitable light employment will be
found for them They then draw
their wages for the work, and in ad-
dition draw IS per cent OF the pen
sion.
Questions wha& happens when q
worker has claim for unjust treat
ment, or when there Is conflict over
application Of the contract2
Answer: There are special conflict
commissions to adjust such things,
made up Of one from the adnninistra-
ton and one from the union. II
they cannot agree, or If either side
is unsatisf1ed, there are higher bodies
to which to appeal Or, the worker
can go directly to the courts. In
either case, conflicts are decided
within few days.
Question: What part do the USSR
unions play in anti-war activities?
Answer: A great part, They tried
to send delegates to the Amsterdam
aati-war congress but were barred by
the capitalist governments. They did
attend other such congresses, inc1ud-
ing the recent Shanghai Far-Eastern
Anti Congress. The unions COM
pletely support Comrade MoIotov's
analysis of the firm peace policy Of
the Soviet Union as expressed in his
Seventh.
Question: Do collective farmers be-
long to unionS2
Answer: Not unless they are actu-
ally wage workers. Workers on the
state farms Of course join the union
OF their industry.
Question: Do the Soviet trade
unions help foreign workers engaged
in strikes?
Answer: Yes, but seldom because
OF many international considerations.
We remember our revolutionary duty.
But we know that many times we
have to let foreign workers work out
their problems themselves
Question: Was such aid ever re-
jected?
Answer: Yes, by English trade
union leaders In the general strike
Of 1926
Question; Are there special priv
ileges for trade union members?
Answer: Yes, preference in sending
to rest homes and admittance to uni
versities. Also, in giving insurance. a
trade union member may get pay
ments equal to the full amount of his
wages where a non-member will get
but rs per cent of his wages in the
form Of insurance payments. But one
must remember that practically all
the workers vino have been in indus
Try more than say a couple OF
months, join the unions.
Question: What relation have the
Soviet trade unions to revolutionary
unions in foreign countries?
Answer: They belong to the same
International organization, the Red
international Of Labor Unions.
Question: Why do you call the So
cial Democratic leaders Social Fas
cists?"
Answer: Because they talk of So
cialism and democracy in words. but
by their deeds pave the path to Fas-
cism. Germany gives an example.
The Social Democrat officials advo-
Gated democracy in words, but helped
the government suppress the Rot
Front, and themselves suppressed
May First demonstrations