CommunismSovietWorking Class

75 THE WORKERS COUNCIL 74 THE WORKERS COUNCIL JUNE 1, 1921. JUNE 1, 1921 0. 168 2, 654 Classes France 1911 United States 1900 business men in France of 1911 and the United States Thousands Per cent. Per cent.
of 1910 was not as large as may appear from the Farmers 2, 870 26. 27. preceding figures.
Farm laborers 1, 631 15. 8. In the French occupation statistics professional men Businessmen 1, 653 15. Professional were also classified into proprietors and salaried men.
618 4. Administrative personThere is no such classification in the American occupanel, agents, salesmen 685 7. tion statistics. The number of professional men above Industrial wage earners 3, 092 29. 36. the age of 20 who were engaged on a salary by private Servants 129 employers amounted in 1911 to 228, 000 persons which Unclassified represented per cent. of the total male population of the same age. If that number likewise be added Total. 10, 678 100. 100. to the Proletariat it will increase the ratio of the proThe preceding comparison shows that the ratio of letariat to 31. per cent. The number of hired farm the industrial proletariat to all bread. winners was laborers above the age of 20 has been estimated as higher in the United States in 1900 than in France 1, 200, 000 which represents 11. per cent. of the total in 1911. On the other hand the ratio of farmers sons number of bread winners. If this number be likewise and agricultural wage earners was higher in France included in the proletariat, the total French proletariat than in the United States. This fact shows that the will reach 42. per cent, which is still short of a movement from the farm to the city had progressed majority. To be sure, this was 10 years ago. But as further in the United States than in France. The we know, from the example of the United States the ratio of business men is much higher in France than ratio of the proletariat to the total population could in the United States. But this is largely due to the not have increased very much during the past 10 years.
fact that the United States census statistics of occupa! From 1900 to 1910 the relative number of the pros tions of per cent, were not described with sufficient letariat of the United States increased by 10. per clearness to permit of their classifications as wage? cent. If the same ratio be applied to France, its proearners or proprietors. part of them were probably letariat cannot represent to day more than 45 per cent.
proprietors, so that the difference in the ratio of of all adult males, which is still short of a majority. The Storm Center of the Comm. International By JOHN KIM The Active Population of France in 1911 Of those who have reached the age of 40, less than Classes Male Female Total one fourth (23. 4) have remained laborers, while Thousands Thousands Thousands three fourths have become proprietors. It may be asFarmers 2, 873 2, 347 5, 220 sumed that there are farmers sons or laborers who Farm laborers 2, 403 890 3, 293 have married farmers daughters. This assumption Business men 1, 660 1, 546 3, 206 can be corroborated by a comparison of single and Professional: married men among the proprietors and laborers Employers 122 34 156 in agriculture, as shown in the following table: Salaried 269 119 388 Public officials 279 447 Number (Thousands) Single Married Total Administrative personnel, Farmers 219 2, 873 agents and salesmen. 840 339 1, 179 Farm laborers 1, 566 836 2, 402 Industrial wage earners. 3, 754 1, 446 5, 200 Servants 155 757 912 Total. 1, 785 3, 490 5, 275 12, 355 7, 646 Per cent Distribution 20, 001 Marital Condition Per cent.
Per cent.
Per cent.
Farmers 92. 7. Per cent.
100. 65. Farm laborers 34. 100. Farmers 23. 30. 26. Farm laborers 19. 11. 16. Total. 33. 66. 100. Business men.
13. 20. 16. Professional: Employers 0. 0. Per cent. Distribution Salaried 1. by Classes 12. Public officials. Farmers 76. 54. 2. 2. Administrative personnel, Farm laborers 87, 24. 45. agents and salesmen. 4. 5. Industrial wage earners. 30. Total.
100. 19. 100. 100. 26. Servants 9. 4. The preceding figures show that whereas twoTotal. 100. 100. 100. thirds of males engaged in farming were married the percentage of single and married was quite different It appears from the preceding table that the industrial proletariat in France at the census of 1911 among proprietors and laborers; of the farm laborers two thirds were single, the proprietors were nearly represented 26 per cent. of the total active population all married, and conversely, of the married men more Among the males that ratio was slightly higher, viz. than three fourths were proprietors, whereas of the 30. per cent. If the farm laborers are added to the single men seven eights were laborers. To estimate industrial wage earners the aggregate number will accurately how many of those described as laborers reach about one half (49. 8) of the active population. were genuine hired workers and how many were farmBut as stated above, this number would include farmers sons helping on parental farms, is impossible.
ers sons who are not proletarians and expect in the It may be assumed that 836, 000 hired laborers were course of time to become farmers. This fact clearly wage earners; we may go still further and assume appears from the comparative distribution of farmers that all those described as laborers who are above and farm laborers hy age, as shown in the following the age of 30, were wage earners, whether married or table: not. this amounts to another 100, 000 males. How Number (thousands) Per cent.
Age Farmers Laborers Farmers Laborers many of those under the age of 30 were farmers Total Under 20 years sons it is difficult to estimate. Though we may assume 772 99. 100. 20 to 24 that all farm laborers under the age of 20 are mem38 232 10. 89. 100. bers of farmers families and that among those be25 to 29 166 304 35. 64. 100. 30 to 34 tween the ages of 20 and 30 the ratio of wage earners 262 209 55. 44. 100. 35 to 39 307 159 65. 34. 100. to members of family was the same as the ratio of 40 and over 2092 farm laborers to farmers above the age of 30, the 632 76. 23. 100. number of wage earners between the ages of 20 and Total. 2868 2399 54. 45. 100. 30 will be less than 200, 000. On this basis the number The preceding figures show that the ratio of prope of wage earners in agriculture may be estimated at rietors to laborers among persons engaged in farming 1, 200, 000. In this manner the agricultural wage earnincreases with age. Of the young men under 30 years ers together with the industrial proletariat will reprethe majority are described as laborers, above the sent about 40 per cent. of all bread winners.
age of 30 years the majority have become proprietors. In order to compare the class divisions of the French population with those of the United States. This table does not include those who were regis the males alone must be considered, because statistical tered by the census as unemployed, because the wageearners in that report were not segregated from the classification of the family population of the United administrative personnel, etc. but the total number of States, as has been explained above, is not the same.
unemployed amounted only to 140, 000 males and 69, 000 In order further to eliminate most of the farmers iemales, which represented in all per cent of the active population, and may, therefore, be disregarded for the sons who are not wage earners, we shall considen purposes of this table.
only those persons who are above the of 20 in France and above the age of 21 in the United States. The discrepancy between the numbers in this and the preceding tables is due to the fact that a small number of The comparative figures are shown in the table next farmers and laborers are not reported.
following: 16 66 66 (Concluded. all communists will agree that the method of appoint10. This point demands a stubborn fight against mittees, appointed executives, appointed editors, apment will always work best. Appointed party comthe Amsterdam International of the yellow labor unions.
pointed delegates may break the party discipline and infringe the regulations which their very appointment The effectiveness of this agitation will grow in pro was intended to guard against. But in general, the portion to the strength of the newly created Red Labor principle of centralization of power is sound and Union International which is a counterpart to the yel should be applied to organizations requiring quick low Amsterdam International. We consider that this decision and immediate action, is one of the most difficult requirements, on which 13. This paragraph requires periodical expulsion of there is a division of opinion among the Communists unreliable members from the party.
themselves. They all agree that the yellow labor International should be defeated, but they do not fully hardest to apply. It will not be always easy to prove We venture to suggest that this clause will be the agree on the methods to be employed. However, we beyond reasonable doubt that this or that person is shall return to this point later in another connection.
a heretic or has violated the party principles. trial 11. This point requires a most searching control by a membership body will always be necessary and over the parliamentary groups and the elimination of without a verdict of the majority elimination of memunreliable elements therefrom.
bers by mere executive order will tend to disrupt the In view of the havoc worked by the treacherous party organization. It would be better to prolong the conduct of the parliamentary representatives of the trial period and not to admit candidates to memberSecond International during the war, the above reship unless they are thoroughly tested for their quirement is amply justified. People still have more loyalty to the principles and to the party organization.
reverence for those placed in conspicuous positions.
14. This clause requires every possible assistance to Therefore, the conduct of the parliamentary representhe Soviet Republic in its struggle against the countertatives should be free from blemish.
revolutionary forces. It is urged that Communist parties induce the workers to refuse to transport military 12. The principle of democratic centralization is equipment intended for fighting the Soviet republics, emphasized.
etc.
Undoubtedly this point will create much discussion. Obviously, such a propaganda is imperative because Its application will differ with each country. No com the counter revolutionary forces are applying their munist will deny the necessity of enforcing strong propaganda to fool the workers and to induce them discipline among the party members. However, not to fight against their own interests.