day. But by overworking his strength, the worker reduces his capacity for further work; he wears himself out more speedily; his constitution is weakened; he falls ill more readily, and dies sooner. An abnormally long working day involves a predatory squandering of human energy. The establishment of a normal working day is the first step in labour protection.
The second step is the protection of the specially weak elements of the working class. This class does not consist solely of adult males. It contains also old men, young people, and women of various age. It is obvious that the power of resisting harmful conditions varies in different sections of the working class. What can be done easily and without any danger to health by a full-grown man may be extremely injurious to a woman, and absolutely dangerous to a half-grown child. Consider, for stance, the carrying of heavy weights. Women, moreover, require special protection at certain periods of life; during pregnancy, childbirth, and lactation. In these matters specific measures are essential. This is the field of women’s protection and child protection.
Thirdly and lastly, a matter of great importance is the technical and sanitary organisation of factories and workshops. A great deal can be done, and still remains to be done, in the prevention of accidents, in the avoidance of noxious influences arising out of the work of production, in the general improvement of working conditions. Among bad conditions we think especially of dust, insufficient lighting, cold, draughts, dirt, etc.
The foregoing are the three main fields of labour protection.
129. What has been done in Russia as regards Labour Protection?
The dictatorship of the proletariat has created conditions which make it possible to carry out in full the demands which have been put forward by all the socialist parties. In this matter, no legislature in the world can