Fascism Collapsing in Germany
Fascism Collapsing in Germany Hitler Party Beginning to Disintegrate as Its Leaders Emphasise Socialistic Plans to Hold Following—Socialist Party Holds Fast in Face of Terrible Trials— The Future...
...What happens next is, of course, in the lap of the gods...
...The Democrats have won nothing but a heavy responsibility...
...The Hardies saw a little less of the Hanfords as the weeks passed...
...Hitler will cease to have any significance whatever...
...Colonel Lehman is personally a likeable and decent man...
...We are in step with the march of event...
...Jim was still at work as machinist, contemplating with pity the plight of his friend and neighbor...
...That seems to be the outstanding result of the election...
...The following night Jim took Bill's family into his home to care for them during Bill's absence, and as they were in the midst of their evening meal a messsge arrived stating that Hanford had died at a hospital on the way to Washington...
...We cannot lote...
...The results of the Parliamentary general elections of last Sunday are in broad outline the following: The Nasi SLIPPING threat of demo eratic govern merit has definitely passed...
...Bill, at first unwillingly and then rather steadily, began rooting out some books given to him by Jim some time ago...
...By Samuel Josephson HUNGRY SOULS (A Story) * WILLIAM HANFORD and James Hardie were bosom friends from boyhood days...
...He soon became a member of the Machinists' Union, where be came in contact with Socialist workers...
...That evening Bill started for home full of hope, picturing how delighted his family would be to learn of his good fortune and already planning the work both for himself and his men...
...Hoover...
...Each was happily married, and both families lived as friendly neighbors...
...end the anti-Semites, the half...
...The voters have voted overwhelmingly for Roosevelt as a gesture of revenge against Hoover and with perhaps some hope that President Roosevelt will make good on some of his innumerable vague promises...
...Hanford's hope some day to become an Important executive in a large corporation prevented his mind from absorbing Hardie's philosophy...
...The weeks grew into months, as Bill's resources were exhausted...
...Hanford acquired a salesmanship education in college, after which he tried* a number of selling stunts, but without much success...
...The Nationalistic Von Papen regime took the wind from the Hitler aaila by emphasising a nationalism it had the power to carry out, and in self-defense the Nazis moved sharply to the left and assumed s more and more strongly anti-capitalist position to hold its working class, its unemployed and Its women's following...
...As a result of different political and economic views they began to drift apirt as they grew into manhood...
...But as it grew it gathered much of the discontent against intolerable economic conditions, and collected the votes of millions who normally would have voted Socialist, or in peculiarly distressed times, for the Communists...
...Even a cursory examination of the returns In New York State shows the almost terrifying influence by racial religious factors in the campaign...
...of England, fell from 75,000 votes to 45,000 in the entire country, despite the purity of its aims and the high personal standing of its leaders...
...If they fail in the next two years the same millions who have Just voted the Democrats into office will turn on them just as furiously as they did on Mr...
...7,234,000 121 7,951,246 183 COMMUNISTS...
...Could he get the necessary capital to cover his margins...
...The Hitlerite Nazis had shot their bolt, and to hold their following were obliged to emphasize more and more the Socialist aspect of their program— or rather the muddled pseudoSocialism the Hitler party was compelled to assume to attract the proletarian masses that flocked to it in despair...
...He decided to Join...
...One day he watched a hunger march being organized in his locality and headed for Washington...
...Rather than surrender the Red Flag it had borne for over seventy turbulent years It made concessions and compromises for which it is now paying dearly...
...the Republic, and generally speaking, It held Its lines la the race of the most terrific pounding any party has ever been subjected to...
...Socialist*, the ultra nationalists, the national Bolsheviks, the Agrarians, the mere pretest voters and the genuine Fascists who constitute only a tiny fraction of that Fascist party—will drift into other places, to go their separate ways, A Terrible Period The time has not yet come to tell the full sotry of the terrible trials of the Germsn Social Democracy, and how it has suffered loss of confidence and votes and political power because of its devotion to its ideals of orderly, democratic procedure aa the first pre-requisito of Socialism...
...On the way, however, fleeting thoughts of bis friend Jim would cross his mind, not without some annoyance, as he would recall statements expressed by his friend Hardie, such as "Surplus exploited from the workers," or "Workers of the world, unite, you have nothing to lose but your chains, and a world to gain," and "Periodical panics," etc...
...The class struggle with all its naked cruelty began to dawn upon Bill...
...his brand of Fascism began to fade out, and at that moment his party was obliged in sheer self-preservation to emphasize its Socialist features...
...The Fascist feature of Hitlerism faded when Hitler failed to march on Berlin and seise power, and the party definitely ceased to be a Fascist menace when Hitler himself demanded the chancellorship on the basis of votes cast, rather than by armed might, and at a moment when he controlled a vast illegal army of Brown Shirts and when his failure to seize power that could have easily fallen into his hands was rightly interpreted as cowardice and muddle-headed vacillation...
...If he end his party do not bring some messure of relief to masses the blind fury with which they struck out against the Republicans will find expression in the Socialist movement which will demand, with the full strength of the masses of workers and unemployed behind it, a full measure of social ustice...
...By Louis Waidman The Machine Wins Over Ideals JHE results of the national* election show only one thing: The country blames Hoover and the Republican party for the present collapse of capitalism...
...We shall watah him...
...The Hitler Fascist movement began as a violently ultra-nationalist pan-Germanism, designed to capitalize the dissatisfaction with the Treaty of Versailles and Germany's position among the nations...
...The Communists, careless of consequences for which they felt no responsibility, alternately fought bloody battles with the Nazis— and worked with them...
...he saw bread lines, and even he was obliged to apply to the local relief organisation for aid 'for himself and family...
...were among the first to feel the tremor...
...These thoughts, and others, would cross Hanford's mind, almost as quickly as he could shake them off, at the same time arousing a sort of resentful feeling in 'his breast...
...His heart once more began to warm up to his boyhood friend, Jim, as memories of days long past went fleeting through his mind...
...O'Brien, though by a much lower vote than the rest of the ticket, places Tammany in complete control of City Hall...
...Hardie tried from time to time to Impart his knowledge of the class struggle to his friend, but apparently with little success...
...Though the Socialist vote la, frankly, somewhat disappointing, our party forces must be consolidated immediately after election so that we may continue vigilant...
...Its anti-Semitism was thrown in for good measure, as at first was its radicalism...
...They replied that they felt it would be asking Bill too much to step below his dignity, and besides a relative bad already been picked for his place...
...He began to read of defeated strikers being dispossessed from their dingy homes...
...Yet in all his excitement, again Hardie's talks on previous occasions swiftly passed through his mind like a panorama...
...That Day la August The moment he left the presence of I "resident Von Hindenburg on August 13th last, his head hang, ing like a schoolboy chastised by his teacher, denied the chancellorship he had demanded, and did nothing about it although the streets of Berlin were swsrming with armed followers shouting "Heil...
...The only happy feature is that there is another election In a year...
...In this election the political machine triumphed over political Ideals...
...Hanford finally secured a position as • salesman with Walton & Co., stock and bond brokers...
...Bill's wife collapsed as Jim muttered, "Another victim...
...6,973,000 100 5,278,094 89 CENTRISTS ________ 4,228,000 70 4,686,601 75 It is noted that of the 35,000,000 odd votes cast in Germany 14,207,000 were cast against Capitalism •nd for some form of Socialism— • warning to those who seek to perpetuate the Capitalist system...
...Nothing but—Socialism The Socialists had nothing to offer—except Socialism...
...Fascism Collapsing in Germany Hitler Party Beginning to Disintegrate as Its Leaders Emphasise Socialistic Plans to Hold Following—Socialist Party Holds Fast in Face of Terrible Trials— The Future Belongs to Socialism...
...Bill sooh arrived home and was glad of it...
...THE German people have voted again, for the fifth time in a year, and it seems at last as if the Hitler movement has commenced its decline...
...Bill, much depressed, tried his hand at almost everything as his economic plight grew worse...
...The Communists gained and the Socialists lost almost exactly the same number of votes...
...With the strengthening of the extra-constitutional Von I'a.ien regime the Nazis had no arguments left to make to the people, except denunciation of capitalism...
...A rush for the telephones, greet excitement for call money, a scramble to cover margins...
...For the great pluralities rolled up for him they will demand their payment in patronage and In protection...
...In a slight but evident degree he resented approaches with radical newspapers and other literature which Hardie pressed Into Hanford's hands from time to time...
...He quickly apprised his his wife and children of the good tidings, and they rejoiced at his promotion...
...Bill pleaded with his superior that he would take a reduction of pay and be willing to be demoted...
...and Socialism had been thrown upon the defensive in the past three or four years...
...Hardie became an expert machinist and stationary engineer, and was employed as such with a large firm...
...He naturally became highly elated over Us prospects, showing prog toss each day and even excelling his fellow salesmen la volume of sales...
...6th July 31st Vote Seats Vote Seats NAZIS —- 11,706,256" 196 13,732,799 230 SOCIALISTS...
...The Socialist Party will hold Mr...
...The Social Democracy For better or for worse the organized German working masses maintain their disciplined adherance to the Social Democracy, and are determined through it to work out their destined emancipation, and within its ranks to settle all their problems...
...The Socialists felt a serious responsibility for the existence of the Republic, and at the same time was virtually hog-tied in a' difficult situation...
...Dull and unimaginative, Mr...
...O'Brien has already shown strong tendencies toward "redbaiting" which, under pressure, are likely to turn into anti-labor policies and downright terrorism...
...The Socialist Party remains by a million aad a half the "Handsome second party in Adolf Hitl9r...
...Hanford, dazed, saw but one thing—all his investments gone...
...Tammany Hall and its allies in upstate cities will be a millstone around his neck...
...The chief executive called Hanford into his office to inform him that they were no longer in need of his services...
...The election of Mr...
...The elections of last Sunday did one thing: their result made it certain that there will be no coup d'etat, and that is something...
...But responsible Socialists in Germany insist that as the turbulence dies down, as conditions grow better, aa movements clarify themselves, they will come back stronger than ever before, the advance guard of the German people in its march toward Socialism...
...Now, with greater patience, he read "Merrie England" and "War, What For...
...About one month after the great debacle, Walton & Co...
...The vote of the largest parties was as follows: Nov...
...The cards were stacked against the Socialists in the election end everything temporarily favored the Communists...
...Bill Hanford's success was soon reflected in the appearance he and hi* family began to take on as a result of his new connections...
...Roosevelt, the Democratic Party at ' his "progressive" allies to the vague promises mad* so freely during the campaign, and will see to It that they are given meaning this winter In terms of food, shelter, clothing and security...
...Bill tried to keep calm as he became the centra of Are from his sales force, as they tugged at his sleeves and coat...
...The literature that he acquired from his new associates Hardie readily absorbed, and as a result soon became an active worker in the Socialist party...
...When that story can be told in full, it may be that many of the steps It took —and did not take—will bo criticised in the light of hindsight, but it will be found thatthe party maintained a position that it knew would result in heavy losses because of a conscientious devotion to principle...
...Von Papen will probably rule In the future as in the pa t few months, without a Reichstag...
...was almost wiped out...
...We must build an organU ration capable of carrying on the fight more affectively than TPS have heretofore dona...
...Two years of intensive sales of bonds and securities brought Hanford results and prestige, when suddenly like a thunderbolt out of a clear sky came a crash on the stock market Walton A Co...
...One day as Hanford was being lauded for his selling ability, he was called into the executive's office and told he was to become manager over the force of bond salesmen...
...The fact, then, that the party polled 7,300,000 vote* and held the overwhelming bulk of the tradesman vote it, from the Socialist standpoint, tht most encouraging feature of the election...
...And it is further significant that the Socialist Labor Party, a •'left" secession from the Social Democracy somewhat similar in program to the I.L.P...
...We shall press our Socialist program upon city, state, and nation...
...Nationalism will fade out and the vast masses of Hitler voters will leave the party as It disintegrates even more rapidly than it grew up...
Vol. 14 • November 1932 • No. 20
