and efficient working class, and the decline of the need to The most basic form of incentive wages in the U.S.S.R. is LABOR FREEDOM Marx pictured a terrestrial paradise for labor under communism. Here was his roseate picture of the future: In the Communist society, where every one has no exclusive circle of activity but can train himself in any branch he wants to, society regulates general production, and just by that makes it possible for me to do one thing today and another tomorrow; to hunt mornings, fish afternoons, raise cattle evenings, criticize after dinner, in whatever way I please, without ever having to become a fisherman, a herdsman, or a critic.50 As it actually works out in the Soviet Union, the worker is chained to his job by various government regulations. We cite, for example, the "Edict of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of June 26, 1940," article 3, paragraph 2: The departure from an enterprise or office as well as a transfer from one enterprise or office to another may take place only by virtue of the permission granted by the director of the enterprise or the head of the office.51 The same edict carried a penalty of imprisonment for unauthorized departure from one's place of employment. Its main purpose was to restrict the fluidity of manpower. It is the proud boast of the Soviet Government that "The planned distribution of manpower has been considered by the Party and the Soviet Government, since the first days of the Great Socialist October Revolution, as a prime task." 52 Two further devices for the enchainment of labor to its assigned job, are the labor book and the internal passport. The Decree of the Council of People's Commissars of the U.S.S.R. of December 20, 1938, established the obligation of every official and worker to have an individual labor book containing the following data: The name of the holder, age, education, profession, qualifications, as well as transfers with reasons. Through this medium the Soviet Government is at all times in full command of every detail of an individual's employment, article 6 of this decree provides that: Workers and officials who are going to be hired are bound to present their labor book to the management of the enterprise or office. The management may hire only workers or officials who present their labor book.53 49" American Trade Unionism-Principles and Organization, Strategy and Tactics" (Selected Writing by William Z. Foster, p. 327 and p. 328) (Copyright, 1947, by International Publishers Co., Inc.). so Marx-Engels, "Collected Works (German)," vol. I, ch. 5, p. 22. 51 S. S. Askarkhanov, "Labor Legislation, Handbook of the People's Judge" (Moscow, Ministry of Justice of the U.S.S.R., 1949) in Russian, p. 5. 3 A. E. Pasherstnik, "Right to Work" (Moscow: Institute of Law of the Academy of Sciences of the U.S.S.R., 1951), p. 165 in Russian. $38. S. Askarkhanov, "Labor Legislation, Handbook of the People's Judge" (Moscow, Ministry of the U.S.S.R., 1949) in Russian, p. 18. Article 9 of this decree provides that "The labor book is kept by the management of the enterprise (or office) and is returned to the worker or official only at the time of his discharge." 54 With reference to the labor book and the passport, the Decree of the Council of People's Commissars of the U.S.S.R. of January 18, 1941, article 3, stated that "It is forbidden to hire anyone who does not produce these documents." 55 Thus the Soviet worker has no means of escape from the chains that bind him inexorably to his job. FORCED LABOR The rallying anthem of world communism is "The International," which has set to music the basic philosophy of Marxism-Leninism, its yearnings and its hopes for the future. Here are its stirring phrases: Arise ye prisoners of starvation Arise ye wretched of the earth For justice thunders condemnation No more tradition chains shall bind us The earth shall rise on new foundations Compare this with the stern realities of forced labor in the Soviet Union as described from authoritative sources by representatives of the Governments of Australia, Chile, France, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, as well as the American Federation of Labor and a number of international organizations: I. ALLEGATIONS 1. Allegations relating to the U.S.S.R. have been made- (2) By the Governments of the United Kingdom and the (3) In memoranda submitted to the Committee by the following nongovernmental organisations: the International Federation of Free Journalists, on 4 October 1951 and 20 October 1952; the International League for the Rights of Man, on 18 June 1952; the Christian Democratic Union of Ibid., p. 19. Ibid., p. 90. Central Europe, on 23 June 1952; the Estonian Consultative Panel, on 31 March 1952; the Hungarian National Council, on 29 May 1952; the Latvian Consultative Panel, on 27 March 1952; the Lithuanian Consultative Panel, on 28 March 1952. (4) In oral statements made before the Committee at its Second and Third Sessions by the representatives of several nongovernmental organisations and by one private individual. The organisations concerned were the following: the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions, the Conmission Internationale Contre le Regime Concentrationnaire, the International Federation of Free Journalists, the International League for the Rights of Man, the Association of Former Political Prisoners of Soviet Labour Camps, the Estonian Consultative Panel, the Hungarian National Council, the Latvian Consultative Panel and the Lithuanian Consultative Panel. 2. These allegations, which are summarised below, related to (a) forced labour as an instrument of political repression; (b) forced labour imposed by the judiciary; (c) forced labour imposed by the administrative authorities; (d) the economic importance of forced labour; (e) the number of prisoners; (f) the location of camps; (g) life of prisoners in forced labour camps: (h) mass deportations; (i) restrictions on freedom of employment. 3. According to the allegations, one of the main aims of the forced labour system which is said to exist both de facto and de jure in the Soviet Union at the present time is to crush all opposition, particularly as expressed in political opinions differing from those of the regime. 4. One of the foundations of the system, it is stated, is the criminal law and criminal procedure of the country, which are so conceived that many persons, especially those opposed to the regime, can be convicted and sentenced to forced labour without adequate provision being made for their defence and in circumstances which, in many other legal systems, would not be recognised as constituting an offense or involving their responsibility. It is furthermore maintained that the administrative authorities of the MVD have extensive extra-judicial powers whereby persons can be subjected to forced labour. 5. The forced labour system, according to the allegations, is of great importance to the national economy, since it supplies cheap labour in large quantities for many different types of work, particularly in undeveloped and unhealthy areas. 6. It is stated in the allegations that the number of persons sentenced to forced labour runs into millions. These Persons are allegedly confined in numerous camps located at widely scattered points throughout the Soviet Union. The conditions in the camps are bad, and the death rate among the prisoners is high. 7. It has further been alleged that millions of persons have been deported either from one part of the Soviet Union to another or from neighbouring countries to the Soviet Union. Many of these deportations are alleged to have involved forced labour.56 Despite this mountain of evidence, G. M. Malenkov, speaking before the U.S.S.R. Supreme Soviet in March 1950, unhesitatingly denied this evidence in the following terms: Our enemies are resorting to the grossest falsifications and deception. Take for instance, the hullabaloo they raise in connection with their charge that the Soviet Union has what they call "forced labor" ***57 As a matter of fact, Karl Marx in the "Communist Manifesto," called for "the establishment of industrial armies, especially for agriculture" (point 8, sec. II). CONCEALMENT AND CONSPIRACY When Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels penned their "Communist Manifesto," they flaunted their revolutionary doctrines before the world, disdaining concealment and subterfuge. They said: The Communists disdain to conceal their views and aims. They openly declare that their ends can be attained only by the forcible overthrow of all existing social conditions.58 se Report of the Ad Hoc Committee on Forced Labor, United Nations, International Labor Office, Geneva, 1953, pp. 426, 427. 7 Pravda, Mar. 10, 1950; Soviet News, Mar. 21 and 22, 1950. Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, "Manifesto of the Communist Party" (International Publishers, 82-245-64 |