A big stride forward was made by the proletariat organized within professional trades unions, when in discussing the question of organization it pointed out clearly and definitely the place which the proletariat of the entire world is occupying under the present circumstances. The Conference has not only firmly and decisively drawn the line between its position and that of neutrality, but it took a definite stand in favor of recognizing “the revolutionary class struggle for the realization of Socialism through the dictatorship of the proletariat.” The quantitative growth of the Russian trades unions since the first Conference, notwithstanding the fact that the counter-revolution has snatched away a number of provinces (Siberia, Finland, the Donetz region, Caucasia, etc.), has resulted in a membership of 3,422,000 whereas only 2,500,000 members were represented at the First Conference. Thus, within one year the membership increased by almost one million. According to the All-Russian industrial groupings, the number of union members represented at the conference was distributed as follows: Metal trades 400,000 Tanners 225,000 Members of Trade-Industrial Union (probably 200,000 sales clerks) Workers engaged in the food industry 140,000 Tailors 150,000 Chemists 80,000 Architectural and building trades 120,000 Wood-working trades 70,000 Printers 60,000 Railroad workers 450,000 Glass and chinaware workers 24,000 Water transportation workers 200,000 Postal-telegraphic employees 100,000 Sugar industry 100,000 Textile workers (according to data furnished by 711,000 the local union) Firemen 50,000 Oil miners and refiners 30,000 Chauffeurs 98,000 Bank employees 70,000 Domestic help 50,000 Waiters (in taverns) 50,000 Cigar and cigarette makers 30,000 Drug clerks 14,000 Foresters 5,000