Montana labor news., 1934-06-14
ANACONDA CO. IMPORTS GUNNER FROM CHICAGO
Foreigners Get Soviet
Jobs Easily; But
Can't Keep Them

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS travel
lers to Russia who think that may
be we'll stay to work" will find plenty
of work, but they won't be able to stay.
The day when the Soviet Union CRATE
fully made room for every capricious
tourist who could handle a lathe or
drive a truck is past. Soviet law pro-
hibits persons who enter Russia as
tourists from staying there to work.
Up to a year ago it was compare
lively easy for a skilled or semi-skilled
worker, after finding employment with
some organization in the Soviet I'm
ion, to get an extension of the 30-day
visa granted to sightseers. Now it is
practically impossible except for spec
ialists such as subway engineers.
There are a number of reasons be-
lieved to be responsible for this tight
ening up in the granting of visa ex-
tensions. In the first place, Russia
has developed so rapidly in the last
few years that it is no longer necess-
airy to press into service every sym
pathetic or jobless tourist With a trade
who happens along. Russia has its
own skilled workers now. Secondly,
many tourists Of the maybe-Ill-stay-
to-work variety have been found to be
undergraduates, who kicked when the
Soviet Union could not give them every
comfort Of home. Tourists impressed
with a new institution or with a new
and foreign way OF living have taken
jobs in Russia lust to see what it's
all about and have left soon after
they have finished their seeing.
Russia makes many concessions to
the foreign worker, giving him a bet
ter-than-average room, relatively high
wages and special, well-stocked stores
in which to buy. When the Soviet
Union employs him it is not simply a
matter of pumping him for his know
ledge Of western industrial technique,
but also involves a sacrifice on the
part OF the Soviet Union, which is still
suffering from a shortage of food deli
cacies and of rooms in the large cities.
It is possible, however, to find work
in the Soviet Union. By arranging
through a letter for a job with some
organization in Russia and by getting
a letter, or, preferably, a contract stat
ing this, workers al arrange in the
U. S. for workers visas. In the pre-
liminary application for a job it is
best to state experience at the job,
radical affiliations and the fact that
the worker will pay his own way to
Russia. Only in rare cases will the
Soviet Union pay the workers fare
from the U. S.
There is another, although less sure,
way Of getting a job in Russia. Come
over on a tourists visa, scout around
for work, then, after finding it, leave
Russia for the nearest foreign country
and there make application to the So
Wet CONSUL TO re-enter the Soviet
Union as a worker, This is %precarious,
but some tourists are able to remain
that way. Those attempting to get
jobs like this should not fail to bring
along the following material proof Of
radical affiliations written recommen-
dations from persons s%ectionally or ma
tionally active in the radical movement ;
documents stating experience at one
or several types Of work; tools; if seek
ing a position as a teacher, a teaching
or university diploma.
Persons seeking jobs in Russia in
other ways but these will in almost
every case be disappointed. The for
egn office in Moscow each week turns
down hundreds of requests to stay from
tourists who have found work in the
Soviet Union. The organizations which
employ them Individually fail to see
the difficulties involved in employing
great numbers of sightseers who sud
denly make up their minds to stay but
who, because they are many times un-
dependable and demand so many con-
cessions, are liabilities rather than as
sets.