Page:Emile Vandervelde - Three Aspects of the Russian Revolution - tr. Jean Elmslie Henderson Findlay (1918).djvu/55

 of the workshop, and this popular investiture has generally increased their authority. In some cases the workmen had begun by appointing a new overseer, chosen from among their ranks, but after having made the experiment they have put back in his post the original official, and these reinstated overseers, because they have proved conclusively and practically their suitability for the post, are among those whose authority is now held in the greatest respect and the best obeyed.

The idea of the rotation of employment seems to be one of those which appeared especially attractive during the early days of the Revolution to the less intelligent portion of the working class. It seemed natural and just to them that each one should take his turn in performing the hard, disagreeable tasks, and that each also should take his turn at directing. Skilled engineers were obliged to spend long weeks at manual labour. In some of the Donetz mines all the office staffs, the managing director included, had to go down into the shafts and taste the joys of swinging a pick, while the miners, many of whom were quite