{ Pamphlet Goll or A VISIT wt to RUSSIA ¢ A Report of Durham Miners i on their Visit to the U.S.S.R. DURHAM MINERS’ ASSOCIATION 32Temenee Come Author 2 % ae les Marky gs F Book No, eA UNIVERSITY OF NOTTINGHAM LIBRARY 60 0454664 6 REPORT OF A VISIT TO SOVIET RUSSIA FOREWORD In conjurttion with the Mineworkers’ Federation of Great Britain, the Durham Miners’ Association, when approached to send a delegation to Russia, readily assented. The conflicting statements as to the efforts being made and the possibilities of Russia foanding a Socialist State in the midst of an antagonistic world capitalism was considered 0 be a sufficient justification for sending a delegation to investigate for them- selves as to whether the venture was being successful or otherwise. Animated with a real spirit of inquiry, our delegation went out as students with open minds to observe and learn lessons from the projects cand experiments being conducted in U.S.S.R. in its efforts to organise its social and economic life on a co-operative basis. They have been, ‘have seen for themselves, have formed conclusions, as we expected they would, and have carefully written a report. Our Executive Committee have been impressed with this report, and they have decided to have the document printed and published. The report is written with commendable clarity, and is well worth reading and thinking over. It is desirable that both the biased and unbiased should read it, Te makes no pretence at being a complete survey of the social and economic conditions of mining in Russia, the visit was far too brief for any suck purpose. Nevertheless, the report indicates a sincere desire to understand and discloses powers of close ‘observation. Tt fully appreciates the enormous task which confronted the U.S.S.R. from the beginning, yet it has been seen that formidable as was the heritage handed to the people of Russia, it has been tackled with such courage and faith that they are winning through to the establishment of a new social order. ‘The report is not a vague generalisation on abstract ideas, but is a witness t0 concrete results from applied principles. One of the delegation had had the privilege of a vist to Russia in 1931, and had, therefore, the ‘advantage of being able to compare conditions of 1931 with those pre- vailing in 1936. The report Bears testimony to the change.The observations of the delegation regarding methods and conditions