The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1936-05-26
PARTY HEADS
MAKE DUPES
0FW0RKERS
Continued from Page u


given. Intense work and the con-
viction that sacrifices had to be
made Il worked from morning to
night without free days. made me
forget this incident.
But then came the second de-
ception, more serious than the
first. It was in February, 1882.
Besides my regular work, was
charged with the conduct Of politi-
cal classes among the wives OF
German workers at the Moscow
"Elektrozavod." These classes
aimed at increasing the political
level of the foreigners.
Worked With Foreigners
One evening explained the i'm
portance of the decisions Of the
recent seventeenth party confer
ence, referring to the prospects OF
the second five-year plan, to the
classics society,"" and the In.
crease of the living standard OF
the masses by 100000 per cent
within a few years.
yes" remarked one OF the
women with a bitter smile, I'VE
could note this today at the ms
nab (The Insnab is a store for
foreigners, where food and cloth
ing are sold at lower prices than
those of the open marketS) An
other woman supported her. She
said:
eyes, from one day to another
prices increased by so per cent.
Butter rose from $50 rubleS
kiIO. In some cases the increase
is even higher. The majority Of
the women had not enough
money to buy at the new
prices. And of course, the wages
of our husbands have not been
increased. Just tell me, how
does this agree with the increas-
ing standards Of living, dear
cOmrade?"
LAME EXPLANATION"
I could hardly believe that the
Soviet power would act in this
way. Later, a lame explanation"
was given me by my Superiors!
The "Insnab" and other CLOSED
stores" had sold their goods up to
now at less than the cost price.
But this explanation could not
satisfy anybody, because wages
and salaries were based on the
old, lower prices, and so the in
crease meant a noticeable decline
of the standard of living.
Once more, tried to excuse this
Socialism is impossible without
sacrifice" I said to myself.
Then came third surprise. The
whole of the Communist press, in
the U. S. S. r. and abroad, had
been claiming that unemployment
had been liquidated in Soviet
Russia! And really, when I ar
rived in 1881, I could easily see
that any more or less qualified
foreigner easily found work. And
the same applied to Russians. In
tense recruiting everywhere. In
the villages, contracts were made
with the farmers to get them to
the new plants. Everywhere large
signs could be seen: Hands
Wanted"
But suddenly, the situation
changed in December, 1882. A de-
cree of the central committee of
the party and the Council of PEG.
pies Commissars about the IRE
organization" of the big admins
trations ordered the dismissal of
tens of thousands Of employees of
the various commissariats, state
and cooperative organizations.
etc., etc.
Complete "AbOut-Face"
I was startled not only by the
possibility of such a step, but also
by the way it was carried out. The
English-Language Moscow Daily
News" spoke of las, 1000 dismissals
as the grand total" This figure
was incorrect. It referred only to
the functionarieS of the central
administrations. But dismissals
were carried through practically
everywhere, in the scientific insti
tutes, in the trade unions, in the
commercial organizations of the
State. Finally, in the greatest
secrecy, even the masters of the
country" the industrial workers.
got their share. The Moscow
"Elektrozavod" dismissed about
1000 workers out of $4,000. Those
who knew the situation in the
country, spoke of 100000 officials
and employees, and of 100000
workers dismissed in a fortnight!
But what happened to these
new unemployed? Parallel with
these mass dismissals, the Com
muniSt party issued the passport
decree. This provided that, just
as in the days of tsarism, every
body living in the cities was
bound to apply for a passport.
In order to get such a pass,
Ida Va|Iav Hnmn1tnad