The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-01-29
HOW COMMUNISTS
IN THE SOVIET UNION
RAISE PRODUCTION
By vERN SMITH

- ~ ' A@AAA
MOSCOW, U. S. The First
state Ball Bearing Factory in Moscow
doesn't produce food, clothing and
shelter directly; it turns out 100000
bearings fc- machinery this -esr.
more next year. But most OF these
bearings 90 into trucks, automobiles
and tractors. Trucks and tractors
especially mean victories on the col
leCtive farms, and victories on the
collective farms mean bread, cotton,
wool and most Of whatever the work
or Immediately consumes. So, to raise
production Of those little metal balls
and rings means even more than in
most cases to fill the store shelves
with leaves Of bread, to bring more
and more yards Of goods for clothing.
Other countries, capitalist coun-
tries, including America, would find
the market flooded, industrial de-
preston, millions out of work and
hungry, and governments frantically
trying to Gnd some way to destroy
what has been produced. That could
not happen in the Soviet Union. It
is impossible for the market to be
flooded here, and more production
means merely higher standard of
living. Every possible scheme is tried
to increase production.
Other articles describe some Of the
general methods Of increasing pro-
duction, now let us look at a few Of
the direct spectacular drives.
In the factorys own book, our
Ball Bearings q secretary of a
Young Communist League nucleus
writes:
I'm the beginning of February
there was an anniversary of Com
rade Stains speech about the mas
terry Of technique The campaign Of
change Of the Comsomol books was
also on that day.
1.-THE Central Committee of the
Comsomols issued a directive that
every Comsomol should take on HIM
self some concrete obligation.
During the dinner hour organized
q meeting (of his own nucleus, pre-
sumably) and pushed forward the
slogan that we should master tech
nique without breakage.'
1--WE decided in very short time to
prepare the workers for the machines
and instead of resolutions, here at
the meeting, people took obligations
For instance: I, Foreman So-and-So,
take upon myself an obligation to
teach the worker So-and-so in such
and such time
EVERY day we inspected to see how
one or another Comsomol fulfilled his
obligations, and the results of their
work we put on the bulletin board.
Inspection showed that all "a Conlso-
mols in the five brigades in our de-
partment fulfilled their obligations"
This sort of thing was happening
all through the year in many depart
ments, but it came to a head along
in September when technical exam
nations for all Young Communist
League members began.
The examinations were public
When work stopped in department
at the end of a shift, a table was set
up, right on the working floor amidst
the machines. AS usual here it was
a red draped table. Chairs were
placed for the examining board and
stenographer. The engineers of the
department asked the questions. Ma
turally, all the workers, Party and
non-Party, Comsomols or not,
grouped around.
Names were called, and nervous
young workers, members of the YCL,
stepped up and were quazzed on their
practical knowledge Of the machines
they were working with, and also on
the theory of the process.
Here and there a young worker
showed an excellent knowledge Of
theory.
An article in the press declares:
Many American specialists are of
the opinion that the Russians may
become skilled mechanics only after
long period. They would soon
change their opinion if they attended
the technical examination in our fac
tory" = Samuel Weinberg, Moscow
Daily News, Sept. e.
Then he gives in detail the opera
ton which youngster in his depart
ment went through to assemble q four
step progressive die, and how this
boy was able to calculate quickly the
resistance in tons needed by the pow
er press for such and such a stamp
ing operation. while the average
American die-maker makes q guess,
the young Soviet die-maker under
stands the theory Of the work he is
to do"
There were some more ike this,
apparently-the best.
The idea for general testing Of all
young workers originated in the forg-
ing department. of the ball-bearing
plant. On International Youth Day,
Sept. 1, the Comsomol apparatus
called on all youth to take such tests.
First they were to prepare for their
examinations. Some inducements
were held out by the management.
Those who passed well would get a
higher rating in the wage scale
more wages. Those who refused to
study at all might be denoted, prob
ably would not be promoted so
quickly
The director of the factory issued
instructions that the section Of En-
gineers and Technicians should give
all assistance in preparing workers
for these examinations.
Courses, in addition to the regular
technical minimum" courses of the
Department of Technical Propa-
ganda, were organized in IL subjects.
Various engineers and technicians
and veteran workers took patron
age" over certain groups of young
workers, and challenged each other
that their group would make the best
showing. The groups themselves is