Communist Votes Swing To Hitlerism

...a s t J u l y by o r d e r i n g t h em to limit t h e i r p a y m e n t s or to s u s p e n d them a l t o g e t h e r for a while, the labor b a n k had no need of such intervention and was able to meet all d e m a n d s made upon it In full and a t once...

...All t h e s e labor b a n k s lay great s t r e s s upon the fact that theli a s s e t s a r e extremely liquid, in some c a s e s a s high a s 50«per cent b e i n g available on call or very s h o r t notice...

...brut a l l y m a l t r e a t e d by the gendarm e r i e . M e a n t i m e t h e C o m m u n i s t s , who h a v e been deprived of legal standi n g for y e a r s , have e n t e r e d the S o c i a l i s t p a r t y and a r e u r g i n g ins u r r e c t i o n . An u p r i s i n g of the t o r t u r e d m a s s e s would be Justified b u t if a t t e m p t e d prematurely would play Into t h e h a n d s of rea c t i o n . At any r a t e , Hungary m a y be the scene of d r a m a t ic e v e n t s a t a n y t i m e for t h e ruling c l i q u e s a r e s i t t i n g on a volcano of seething: discontent...

...S p e c u l a t i o n r e g a r d i n g the loss of the C o m m u n i s l s is i n t e r e s t i n g. On t h e basis of t h e r e t u r n s it app e a r s t h a t about 500,000 Communi s t votes cast for T h a e l m a n n on M a r c h 13 went to H i t l e r l a s t Sund a y a n d about 776,800 w e r e cast for H i n d e u b u r g . Hitler gained in m o s t a r e a s w h e r e T h a e l m a n n lost...

...These losses had been more t h a n made good by the b i g j u m p in S p a i n , where t h e memb e r s h i p of the General Union of W o r k e r s h a d r i s e n t o a b o u t a million, and s u b s t a n t i a l gains In F r a n c e , Holland...

...B r e l t s c h e i d , Socialist leader, dec l a r e s t h a t if H i t l e r Is k e p t out of office t h i s y e a r it will be t h e end of him, and " a l t h o u g h the present g o v e r n m e n t Is f a r f r om r e p r e s e n t i n g Socialist policies, t h e Sociali s t p a r t y will b a c k it b e c a u s e of t h e o v e r s h a d o w i n g necessity of d e f e n d i n g the f o u n d a t i o n s of the r e p u b l i c ." H o w e v e r , ' w e h a v e not seen the e n d of H i t l e r as t h e r e la l i t t le d o u b t that he will m a k e heavy g a i n s In t h e e l e c t i o n s t o t h e P r u s s i a n D i e t on A p r i l 24...

...The I. F. T. U. e m b r a c e s t h e p r i n c i p a l l a b o r unions in all the l a r g e r c o u n t r i e s of t he world, with the exception of the U n i t e d States, Russia, Mexico, A u s t r a l i a , New Zealand, India, China and J a p a n . The General Council voted to a d m i t t h e c e n t r al labor o r g a n i z a t i o n s of the Dutch E a s t Indies a n d L i t h u a n i a to memb e r s h i p . S e c r e t a r y Schcvenels voiced the r e g r e t of t h e council a t t h e refusal by the At c r l c a n F e d e r a t i o n of Labor to p a r t i c i p a t e In the forthcoming i n t e r n a t i o n a l t r a d e union conference on ways and m e a n s to e s t a b l i s h the 40-hour work week a n d fight the world-wide economic c r i s i s . D u r i n g t h e discussion it was b r o u g h t out t h a t the officials of t h e I. F. T. U. were c o n s i d e r i n g a p l a n to get into personal c o n t a ct w i t h t h e A. F . of L. A f t e r l i s t e n i n g t o a r e p o r t on t he w o r l d economic s i t u a t i o n by T h e o - d o r L e i p a r t of t h e G e r m a n G e n e r al F e d e r a t i o n of Labor, the council a d o p t e d a r e s o l u t i o n p o i n t i n g out t h a t the presence of more t h an 25,000,000 unemployed w o r k e r s in t h e leading c a p i t a l i s t countries p r o v e d t h e I n a b i l i t y of c a p i t a l i sm t o And a w a y out of t h e c r i s i s for w h i c h it w a s responsible and dem a n d i n g t h e c o m p l e t e r e c o n s t r u c t i o n of Immediate relief for the w o r k e r s , the General Council demanded t h e l e g a l i z a t i o n of t h e 40h o u r (five-day) w o r k week, c e s s a t i o n of the waste of money on a r m a m e n t s , and the use of publio c r e d i t to provide work on a l s r ge s c a l e . I t also I n s i s t e d upon plan* ned p r o d u c t i o n a n d a r a p i d e x t e n s i o n of public e n t e r p r i s e s. I t was decided t o hold t h e next t r i e n n i a l c o n g r e s s of t h e I. F . T. U. i n Brussels, d u r i n g t h e l a t t e r half of July, 1933...

...c e n t s e a c h ) , s l i g h t l y less t h a n in 1930, due to a loss of 263,000 k r o n e r t h r o u g h f l u c t u a t i o ns i n t h e r a t e of e x c h a n g e when the D a n i s h g o v e r n m e n t followed G r e at B r i t a i n off t h e gold s t a n d a r d l a st f a l l . T h e b a n k paid a 5 per cent d i v i d e n d a n d added 50,000 k r o n er t o Its r e s e r v e s . The Cooperative N a t i o n a l , Bank of Switzerland, owned mainly by t h e t r a d e unions a n d t h e c o o p e r a t i v e s , a c t u a l l y inc r e a s e d i t s t u r n - o v e r from 91,800,000 f r a n c s ( w o r t h a b o u t 20 c e n ts e a c h ) In 1930 t o 104,700,000 last y e a r and its c a p i t a l stock from 7,300,000 to 10,000,000 francs...

...yet t h e S o c i a l i s t s have enjoyed a cons i d e r a b l e measure of sympathy f r om the non-Socialist opposition b e c a u s e of t h e i r l e a d e r s h i p in the s t r u g g l e a g a i n s t f e u d a l i sm and for t h e i n t r o d u c t i o n of t h e s e c r e t ball o t . Despite some p r o g r e s s In the t o w n s the Socialists w e r e unable t o make much h e a d w a y in the c o u n t r y s i d e until the summer of 1931, when H u n g a r y ' s economic c a t a s t r o p h e involved t h e peasant r y to s u c h an e x t e n t t h a t hund r e d s and t h o u s a n d s of t h e landw o r k e r s w e r e left w i t h o u t either w o r k or relief...

...It c o n t i n u e d its dividend r a t e at 0 p e r cent a n d added 100,000 francs t o Its reserves...

...The s t r u g g l e of the S o c i a l i s t p a r t y In H u n g a r y for more t h a n a decade is i n t e r e s t i n g. S i n c e 1919 i t s P a r l i a m e n t a r y influence has been negligible...

...In 1930 net p r o f i t s w e r e 725,000 s c h i l l i n g s . The D a n i s h Labor Bank bad a net p r o f i t of ,360,933 k r o n e r (worth a b o u t 20...

...W i t h the p r e s i d e n c y decided the S o c i a l i s t s a n n o u n c e t h a t t h e y will r e s u m e their f o r m e r freedom of a c t i o n so f a r as n e u t r a l i t y toward C h a n c e l l o r B r u e n l n g is concerned...

...The C o m m u n i s t s r a n t h e i r own candid a t e a g a i n s t the advice of the C o m m u n i s t I n t e r n a t i o n a l . Bet w e e n H i t l e r ' s t h r e a t e n e d d i c t a t o r - Ship, t o be followed by a t t e m p ts t o d e s t r o y w o r k i n g class organiz a t i o n s a n d a t t a c k i n g J e w s as the " I n t e r n a l e n e m y , " and H i n d e n b u rg t h e Socialists chose the latter...

...The Comm u n i s t s also have t h r e e Deputies a n d Montevideo Is the center of Communist p r o p a g a n d a in South A m e r i c a Loudon Daily Herald Has 1,500,000 Readers L O N D O N . — ( W . L . N . ) - The com pie Hon of t h e second y e a r of the e x i s t e n c e of the Dally H e r a l d as a n u p - t o - d a t e n e w s p a p e r capable of c o m p e t i n g w i t h t h e o v e r g r o wn p r e s s g i a n t s of F l e e t s t r e e t was m a d e t h e o c c a s i o n of q u i t e a cele b r a t i o n In B r i t i s h labor c i r c l e s on March 16...

...Since Theodore S t a u n l n g , t h e Soc i a l i s t leader, took t h e j o b of P r i me M i n i s t e r in April, 1929, h i s p a r t y 's d u e s - p a y i n g m e m b e r s h i p has inc r e a s e d by a b o u t 20,000...

...B u t a s t he Socialist vote In the election of April 24...

...There will a l s o b e elections t o t h e Diets of B a v a r i a , W u r t e m - b e r g , H a m b u r g and A n h a l t . On t h e b a s i s of H i t l e r ' s r e c e n t vote H i t l e r ' s g r o u p m a y become the l e a d i n g p a r t y in P r u s s i a in April, a l t h o u g h it m a y n o t h a v e a majori t y . THE BRONX FREE FELLOWSHIP "Herbert Hoover" will be the topic of Leon Roster Land's address a t the • o'clock FeilowhlD Service at the weekly meeting of the Bronx Free Fellowship, Aaure Masonic Temple, 1M1 Boston Road, near Bast I73nd •Meet on Sunday eveoina...

...t o t a l vote, 36,491,694...

...T h e t r i u m p h of H i t l e r i sm would a l s o m e a n civil w a r and while the S o c i a l i s t s and labor o r g a n i z a t i o ns a r e p r e p a r e d by a r m s to meet a F a s c i s t a s s a u l t t h e y do not welcome t h i s w a y out...

...The council m e e t i n g was presided over b y P r e s i d e n t W a l t e r M. C i t r i n e of G r e a t B r i t a i n a n d w as a t t e n d e d by about 100 p r o m i n e nt l a b o r leaders, including 39 deleg a t e s from the 26 I n t e r n a t i o n al T r a d e S e c r e t a r i a t s , 21 d e l e g a t es f r om 14 n a t i o n a l f e d e r a t i o n s and t h e m e m b e r s of t h e e x e c u t i v e comm i t t e e . F r i e d r i c h Adler a d d r e s s ed t h e m e e t i n g i n t h e n a m e of t h e S o c i a l i s t I n t e r n a t i o n a l and Albert T h o m a s s p o k e f o r t h e I n t e r n a t i o n al Labor Office of the League of N a t i o n s . Socialists of Uruguay Denounce Communists And the Government MONTEVIDEO...

...H a b e r m a n e n t e r e d t h e labor movement In V i e n n a i n 1879, s e r v ed four y e a r s In prison d u r i n g the period of p e r s e c u t i o n of S o c i a l i s ts a n d labor l e a d e r s , s p e n t s o m e t i me in the United S t a t e s editing Soc i a l i s t p a p e r s , r e t u r n e d t o A u s t r ia In 1897 and was a c t i v e i n t h e political life of t h a t c o u n t r y and Czechoslovakia u n t i l bis d e a t h . He was a m e m b e r of t h e Czechoslovak Cabinet on two occasions...

...Consequently, all a t t e m p ts by hostile critics to p r e c i p i t a t e a " r u n " on the bank, or to Induce t h e unions and individual deposit o r s to leave their own i n s t i t u t i o ns were in vain...

...P e a s a n t s M i s t r e a t e d . M a n y r e c e n t local Council elect i o n s have shown the Socialises m a k i n g s t a r t l i n g p r o g r e s s among t h e ruined p e a s a n t r y . This has a r o u s e d t h e a l a r m of t h e big lando w n e r s , who r i g h t l y foresee t h at a t the a p p r o a c h i n g time for the r e n e w a l of c o n t r a c t s for t h e next h a r v e s t t h e y a r e likely t o be conf r o n t e d by a n o r g a n i s e d p e a s a n t ry d e m a n d i n g i n c r e a s e d w a g e s . The S o c i a l i s t s r e c e n t l y b r o u g h t countl e s s i n t e r p e l l a t i o n s In P a r l i a m e n t, a n d p u b l i s h e d a r t i c l e s in Nepszava t e n d i n g to show t h a t peasants who w e r e concerned in o r g a n i s i ng t h e i r fellows under Socialist aus p i c e s had been a r r e s t e d .end...

...I n Austria, the Labor Bank which is owned by t h e t r a d e unions a n d t h e c o n s u m e r s ' c o o p e r a t i v e s on a 50-50 basis, made a net profit of 894,367 schillings (worth 14 c e n t s e a c h ) , paid a 12 per cent*, dividend on its 4,000,000-schllling c a p i t a l s t o c k , and added 330,000 to i t s r e s e r v e s , b r i n g i n g them up to 4,140,000 schillings...

...His p r e s e nt s m a l l r e p r e s e n t a t i o n In t h a t body w a s " o b t a i n e d when F a s c i sm was weak...

...T h e Socialists were forced by economic and political conditions t o choose b e t w e e n H i n d e n b u r g and H i t l e r . Their experience in the s e c o n d b a l l o t i n g in the first presid e n t i a l election in 1925 showed t h a t an u n d e r s t a n d i n g with the C o m m u n i s t s was Impossible...

...Czech Labor Mourns Death of Haberman P R A G U E . — ( W . L . N . ) Organized labor In C z e c h o s l o v a k i a and A u s t r i a Is m o u r n i n g the loss of o n e of Its v e t e r s n s In t h e p e r s on of S e n a t o r G u s t a v H a b r m a n , who died M a r c h 22, a g e d 68 y e a r s , f r om p l e u r i s y , following an o p e r a t i o n. Sen...

...H i t l e r ' s vote increased more t h a n 2,000,000 over his vote last M a r c h which i n d i c a t e s that, he als o received the l a r g e r portion of t h e v o t e cast in March for Duest c r b e r g , the c a n d i d a t e of the Nat i o n a l and Steel Helmet coalition T h e Socialist Position W h a t is obvious in all these c h a n g e s is t h e h y s t e r i c a l mood ol l a r g e numbers of German voter* which is t h e o u t g r o w t h of t h e terr i b l e p r i v a t i o n s which masses ol t h e p o p u l a t i o n have suffered as a r e s u l t of the damnable "peace" i m p o s e d by the i m p e r i a l i s t vict o r s . ' Hitler is a clown and a d e m a g o g u e who in normal condit i o n s could uot be elected keeper of a village jail...

...invalid...

...D a t a given out by t h e Danish S t a t i s t i c a l D e p a r t m e n t s h o w t h at t h e r e w e r e 19 s t r i k e s and l o c k o u ts In 1981, Involving 8,093 w o r k ens a n d the loss of 246,000 w o r k i ng days, a g a i n s t a l o s s of 144,000 d a ys i n 1930 a n d 41,000 tn 1039...

...This s t a t e m e n t was signed by D e p u t y Emillo Frugonl and eight o t h e r m e m b e r s of the p a r t y ' s cent r a l committee...

...8,204...

...The 40-hour work week was i n s t i t u t e d by t h e bank a couple of y e a r s ago...

...1929, was 090,000, the p a r t y l e a d e r s Insist t h a t t h e r e is s t i l l p l e n t y of r e c r u i t i n g work to be done...

...Thaelmann ( C o m m u n i s t ) 3,706,388...

...April 7th...

...Danish Socialists Have 174,000 Members C O P E N H A G E N . — (W.L.N...

...By g a i n i n g 3,000 r e c r u i t s In 1931, t h e Social Democratic p a r t y of D e n m a r k has brought its t o t a^ m e m b e r s h i p up t o 174,000, of whom 50,000 a r e women, a c c o r d i n g to t he a n n u a l report just made public h e r e by the p a r t y ' s c e n t r a l office...

...Labor Banks On Firm Basis On Continent Meet All Demands and Avoid S u s p e n s i on During Crisis (Br World Wide Labor N«we Service) N E W Y O R K . - A l t h o u g h organized labor in Europe was rather s l ow in e n t e r i n g t h e field of banking, i t s o p e r a t i o n s a l o n g t h a t line a r e being c a r r i e d on v e r y successfully, d e s p i t e the economic crisis t h a t has w r o u g h t havoc with HO m a n y r e g u l a r commercial financial i n s t i t u t i o n s , here and abroad...

...Trade Union International Passes 14,000,000 Mark BERNE, S w i t z e r l a n d — ( W . L . N .) — R e p o r t i n g t o t h i s y e a r ' s m e e t i ng of t h e General Council of t h e J n t e r - a t i o n a l F e d e r a t i o n of T r a d e Unions, held In this c i t y March 19 t o 18, S e c r e t a r y W a l t e r Schevenelg noted t h a t the m e m b e r s h i p of t h e affilia t e d unions h a d p a s s e d t h e 14,000,000 m a r k a t t h e end of 1931, des p i t e serious losses in Germany, A u s t r i a , G r e a t B r i t a i n and some o t h e r countries...

...Hillquit Greets Blnm On His 60th Birthday Leon Blum, l e a d e r of t h e F r e n ch S o c i a l i s t p a r t y , r e a c h e d his 60th b i r t h d a y on, April 9. I n r e c o g n i t i on of his life-time of s e r v i c e t o Soc i a l i s m , Morris Hillquit, national c h a i r m a n of the Socialist party, s e n t t h e following c a b l e g r am t o t he F r e n c h party: " I n the name of the American S o c i a l i s t s and in my own behalf I j o i n our French comrades in a t r i b u t e of love and a d m i r a t i o n to Leon B l um upon his 60th annivers a r y s t o p . M a y his wise a n d courag e o u s l e a d e r s h i p be l o n g p r e s e r v ed t o all of us and may he enjoy m a n y more y e a r s of youth, vigor, f i g h t and h a p p i n e s s ." Peasants Turn To Socialists In Hungary Big Landowners Resort to Brutal Repression in Reprisal THE s t r u g g l e of the working c l a s s in H u n g a r y a g a i n s t the r u l e of the feudal m a g n a t e s undeAdmiral H o r t h y Is one of t h e most t e a s e in E u r o p e . The H o r t h y regime is over a decade old and it was followed by h o r r i f y i n g tort u r e s of rebels In the prisons...

...I t is t r u e that t o t a l depositors a t the end of the y e a r were only 135.200.000 marks (worth 23.8 r e n t s apiece i, a g a i n s t 167,900.000 a t the beginning, but t h i s decline was due to the p r e s s i n g needs ol b o t h unions and individuals, caused m a i n l y by unemployment...

...Communist Votes Swing To Hitlerism German Fascist Gained Half-Million Lost by Thaelmann rE second balloting In the G e r m a n p r e s i d e n t i a l election verified all f o r e c a s t s ! Hindentourg won b y a c l e a r m a j o r i t y with Hitl e r 6,000,000 behind, the Comm u n i s t s lost 1,276,809 of t h e votes t h e y polled on M a r c h 13 and the l a t e s t figures give the following r e s u l t s : Hindentourg, 19,359,642...

...Hlfler, 13,417,460...

...Belgium and Czechoslovakia...

...Some details of this s a d i sm are s o d i s g u s t i n g that they are unp r i n t a b l e . Meantime the economic c r i s i s h a s gone from bad to worse a n d g o v e r n m e n t finances are also demoralized...

...W i t h a c i r c u l a t i o n of 1,500,000, c o m p a r e d with 200,000 t w o y e a r s ago, when the b u s i n e ss of p u b l i s h i n g It w a s t u r n e d over to t h e Odhams P r e s s , u n d e r a n a g r e e ment g u a r a n t e e i n g political c o n t r ol by the Labor p a r t y and t h e t r a de unions, t h e Daily H e r a l d Is n ow one of the s t r o n g e s t weapons In t h e a r m o r y of o r g a n i z e d labor In G r e a t B r i t a i n . I t s next a im Is a c i r c u l a t i o n of t w o million...

...It also pointed out t h at U r u g u a y would not be so much a f f e c t e d by the world-wide economic c r i s i s if t h e s u g g e s t i o n s of t h e S o c i a l i s t p a r t y r e g a r d i n g financ i a l m e a s u r e s and public works h a d been followed a n d less a t t e n t i o n paid to the clamor of r e a c t i o n a r y b u s i n e s s i n t e r e s t s .' The S o c i a l i s t s have only t h r ee m e m b e r s in t h e C h a m b e r of Deput i e s out of a t o t a l of 123, b u t t h e ir Influence is much g r e a t e r than t h e s e f i g u r e s indicate...

...The b a n k ' s net profits, a f t e r ample alJowance for reserves, a m o u n t e d to 5 8 3 0 0 0 m a r k s , which would have p e r m i t t e d the p a y i n g of a dividend of 4 p e r c e n t but it w a s held better t o a d d t h a t sum t o t h e second line of r e s e r v e s . The b a n k had 231 employes, in i t s main office In Berlin a n d i t s n u m e r o u s b r a n c h e s , at the end of 1931, an i n c r e a s e of 16 in t h e year...

...It drew a t t e n t i on t o the inconsistency of the Comm u n i s t s In c o m p l a i n i n g a b o u t the h i g h - h a n d e d n e s s of the police and t r o o p s while advocating force t h e m s e l v e s a n d It d a m n e d t h e gove r n m e n t , headed by President T e r r a for s u s p e n d i n g civic r i g h ts a n d t r y i n g to suppress working c l a s s d e m o n s t r a t i o n s In genera) u n d e r p r e t e x t of f i g h t i n g Communism...

...For Instance, t h e G e r m a n Bank of Manual Workers, Clerical Employes and Civic Service Men, owned by the trade unions a f f i l i a t e d with t h e t h r e e big c e n t r a l bodies e m b r a c i n g these sections of o r g a n i z e d labor, notes thai when the g o v e r n m e n t came to the rescue of most of G e r m a n y ' s bank...

...R e p o r t s issued by the laboi b a n k s of Germany, A u s t r i a , Switze r l a n d and D e n m a r k for 1931, just received here, show t h em to be In e x c e l l e n t conditions...

...The old clique rules t h r o u g h open elections which enables police a g e n t s , t o t e r r i f y the v o t e r s . The s u p p r e s s i o n of t h e Socialist d a i l y in B u d a p e s t , N e p s z a v a , was followed by a general s t r i k e the n e x t d a y led by the p r i n t e r s and on the second day the s t r i k e was c a l l e d off...

...W . L . N . ) - In connection with the conflict bet w e e n Communist and Anarchist w o r k e r s on t h e one side a n d police and soldiers on the o t h e r in Febr u a r y , which at times almost ass u m e d the p r o p o r t i o n s of a / n e a r - revolution, but which h a s quieted down with t h e failure of t h e gene r a l s t r i k e called by t h e Commun i s t s and w i t h t h e r e l e a s e of most of the p r i s o n e r s made by the gove r n m e n t , the Socialist p a r t y of U r u g u a y Issued a s t a t e m e n t condemning both the g o v e r n m e n t and t h e Communist leaders for their r e s o r t to violence...