The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1933-11-06
BY MYRA PAGE

WE are on our way to pay Katia
W Bemova an unexpected visit.
had asked Vera Bouganoya, who IS
secretary of the Krassny Bougleter
(Red Knight rubber plants social
insurance plant, to take me with her
to talk with some Of the workers who
had received pensions.
The KrasSny plant lies along the
outskirts of Moscow, In what is little
more than q village. The air has that
fresh tang to it that one misses in
The city, Of birches and moist earth.
Through the grounds of the plant
slides flat ribbon Of stream: low,
rambling houses and stores run for
blocks along the car line. In the
midst of the old village, gawky as a
schoolboy whose shoulders and arms
are outgrowinE his jacket, rises the
rubber workers settlement. To dale
there are 81 new apartment hous IS
ard two-family dwellings. 1t Is here
that Katia Benrova lives.
We knock. Shufflings of padded
slippers, and the door opens on the
Jolly face and barrel figure Of an
Irish East Side mother Although she
greets us, a bit startled, in fluent
Russian, I feel there must be some
mistake, surely the rich brogue of
the old country should roll from her
tongue.
Come into my daughters room, d"
she says, "rny husband Just got home.
He works on the railroad, and is
sleeping in our room. You will have
to excuse me, for was not expect
ing visitors" Everything is quite
straight, no need for excuses. There
are rubber plants in the window, lace
curtains, and the inevitable Russian
tapestry hanging behind the nickle-
plated bed. Like the Germans, the
pride Of Russian skilled workers is in
a fine-looking bed Without this, and
a samovar, am told no couple would
think Of getting married! With the
era OF tea kettles, gas, and electricity,
the sa1novar is passing. But the GUS
tom of the bed and plants in the
window, remain.
CURE enough, no sooner have we
" settled ourselves to talk, and Ka-
tia learned of our mission, than she
insists on starting the kettle. Only
cur insistsnce on the short time we
have and our promise to come back
later for tea, keeps her from running
away to the kitchen to feed us.
81 hear you are drawing a pen
sion?" ask her. She mods happily
In America, explain, the workers
are fighting to win a federal insur-
ance system similar to that which ex-
| lists in the Soviet Misunderstanding
workers against every form of dis
ability and hazard. such as that OF
Bemoya's herself. 'It is a bit hard,
I add, "for the majority Of working
people in the States to realize the
economic security you have wor
here"
II can understand that" she says
why, for me, too, 1t is still Ike a
dream. 1t is the third month since
quit work, and began drawing my
pension. Each month, when the post
man rings the bell and hands me
the book to sign for the money order
1 think, Now, why is 1t, here I sit
and do nothing, but keep on drawing
pay'l"
Security
She looks across at Bouganiva.
quiet, lined face. "You understand
all these things better than do
You are a working woman who ha.
studied. am just simple ole
woman. To me, it seems too good II
be true"
you gave "a years Of labor" Bou.
ganova answers. Nov your heart j.
bad. OF course, you must be taker
care Of. That is our Soviet system"
Eyes, I know" Katia Bemova re.
plies, "and my heart and rheumatism
are terrible" Placing her hand dra,
matically on her breast, she tells u.
at length of its WITNESSES and genera