The German Socialists and von Schleicher
Breitscheid, Rudolf
By Rudolf Breitscheid The German Socialists and von Schleicher German Socialist Leader Tells Why Chancellor Cannot Expect Aid From the Workers. "TPHE Reichstag elections of November 6th did...
...He is much more skillful and adroit in handling men and affairs than von Papen, who brought with him into politics the ways of the gentleman rider...
...Now the period of watchful waiting begins...
...That's pretty swell...
...A Dreadful Moment Somebody ought to put that moment into a play...
...I started hunting around for the switch that cuts off the power...
...The factory is down 100...
...A Different Type It is true that General Von I Schleicher differs sharply from his predecessor...
...And the grand old Scotch or Irish, comrade, I don't know his name, who wanted to throw up his job and corns down to help us...
...He furthermore held out his hand to the working class and their trade union organizations...
...They determined not to vote for any further taxes on consumption, labor or socially useful production, but on the other hand would support further taxation on privilege, inheritances, profits and land...
...Then I 'persuaded" the girls and men to walk out and come over to the union headquarters to talk things over...
...He laid great emphasis on the urgent necessity of creating employment...
...Luckily the cutter found it in the nick of time, and turned off the power...
...I couldn't find it and I wouldn't have known it if I had found it and I wouldn't have known how to stop the power if I had known which was the right switch...
...And the next day she brought home-made jelly down to headquarters and made sandwiches, And Edward Marks, a jolly big comrade from the same branch, just waiting to be told what to do to help...
...The other member of the committee wss slio wandering around looking for the switch and none of the workers he approached seemed to understand English at that moment For one dreadful moment I realized that I was turning back to find the boss to ask him where the switch was...
...They will demand further reductions in the estimates for war, navy and military pensions, celebrations and military training...
...But there are difficulties about that...
...Gertrude Branstetter Stone is over at union' headquarters every day...
...Herr von Schleicher is not exaetly a chip of the same block as von Papen, but the timber comes* from the same forest, and as he has expressly taken over the economic program of his predecessors he has committed himself to the same policy of seeking a solution on capitalist lines and rejected the Socialist proposals and demands which our Party formulated and placed in the forefront of its propaganda...
...But they must show their real colors, and that will not be easy for them...
...During these critical days the Social Memorial i Party had strongly opposed von Papen, not only because of the' reactionary character of his speeches and actions, but also and not least because his downfall would mean a severe blow to a regime which, using the slogan of a "new system of government," was profiting by Germany's parliamentary difficulties and seeking to turn the absence of a parliamentary majority to its advantage by re-establishing a bureaucratic oligarchy and perpetuating it by altering the Constitution...
...I'm wondering whether I'm beginning to idealise these youngsters and the older ones, too...
...British I. L. P. Seeking New World Alignment I ON DON.—The recent secession' from the Lab r Party of the Independent Labor Party is seen to be more than a mere difference of opinion over methods and platform in Great Britain, but appears rather to be part of a move to organize a new International, or at least, to bring new schisms in the Labor and Socialist International...
...The situation seemed even more favorable to the "authoritarian" Cabinet of von Papen than after the July election...
...TPHE Reichstag elections of November 6th did not result in the return of any majority capable of forming a government...
...I.-Had my first experience "pulling" a factory on strike, and it's quite an experience...
...This energetic campaign of our^ against von Papen may perhaps have induced some of our friends abroad to think that we were disposed to come to terms with General von Schleicher, who, as things stood, was the only man who could be regarded as his successor...
...When I first approached girls there wasn't one who could see any sense in going on a strike when conditions were so bad...
...They are the less disposed to do so since they are firmly resolved to carry on their cam* paign, outside the Reichstag aa well as within it, for the restoration of Democracy as one of the necessary conditions of Socialism...
...The morning the strike was pulled, as I was marshalling some of my chickens into the hall...
...And does it cost money...
...The Soeisliats in Opposition But the readiness to make concessions that the Chancellor has shown in small things cannot alter the attitude of Social Democrats towards him...
...Whatever decision they may come to, the Social Democrats will not allow their attitude to be affected...
...For the moment the Fascists have given the Government a breathing-space by agreeing, in opposition to the Social Democrats, to the adjournment and have thus evaded a decision...
...From morning till night we talk, argue, amuse and jolly the strikers...
...If that Government nevertheless resigned, the step was taken not so much because of any recognition that it had lost favor even in those circles that had welcomed its formation with enthusiasm as because of the hope cherished in certain influential quarters that the inevitable failure to form any other government would be bound to ensure the return of Briining's successor...
...Even if they were earning <5 a week, they said, it was better than nothing...
...There was a certain amount of malicious satisfaction and anticip a t i o n when Adolf Hitler was >----N commit- f sioned to I -p (A try to form \- A| a govern- vv...
...By Gertrude Weil Klein A Woman's Point of View How the Strike Wat "Pulled" in Lynbrook— Winnie Branstetter and' Her Daughter* on the Job—A Heroic Bunch...
...But there's been one real lucky break as far as the Lynbrook part o fthe strike is concerned...
...Today, it is estimated about 3,000 wash suit workers are on strike...
...jfj ment on a r*»«^_5i p a r 1 i a- 1^ \ ment ary ___/ n\ U_ basis...
...The Social Democrats have taken up an attitude of very definite opposition to him...
...One of the workers came over to me and introduced herself as an old Socialist comrade and a sister of the boss...
...I YNBROOK, -L...
...Persuasion" under such circumstances is a sort of hypnotism...
...And they've been a real help...
...The Socialist Party has a live hustling local out in the section and, of course, I got in touch with them right away...
...And Mrs...
...Now we spend our days holding them together...
...Hence he broke off the discussion of alterations of the Constitution, not because he is a convinced democrat but because he had no wish to aggravate by constitutional experiments the dangers which must confront any government as a result of the economic crisis...
...But ""^"v-;-^*-^] the N a- S^rf t i o n a 1- ^ jfi Socialist r^/o»MJ leader, who was at first General von Schleicher very confident of success, went to hardly any trouble to achieve his mission, but instead wasted his time in elaborate discussions of constitutional points, and in the end had to relinquish the task...
...Schleicher can therefore expect no support from the Social Democrats, and if his efforts to give his authoritarian Government some sort of parliamentary backing are to succeed he must come to esome understanding with Hitler...
...But when I saw the committee which had been sent in to take the factory down —about fifteen, stalwart cutters and equally stalwart girls—I decided that it might be just as well if I went along...
...They would like to go into Opposition and yet, in view of their internal differences and also their lack of funds, to avoid a dissolution...
...When I say the girls knew me I mean that I had been talking union to them night after night for the past few weeks and they knew I was a "nice, quiet girl" who had assured them over and over again that the union wasn't looking for trouble...
...One rather distressing incident...
...Moreover, his Government, which hardly differs in its composition from the previous one, is likewise what is called a "Presidential Government," one which derives its authority from the will of the President...
...She was plainly in an embarrassing position, but she walked out with the rest anyway and signed up at union headquarters...
...That anybody walked out at all seems to me a miracle...
...In fact, only the President of the Reich still stood by his protege, until in the end, under the pressure of the refusal of office by several Ministers, he also was compelled to yield...
...That is, compared to the shock they would receive when they raised their eyes and saw the committee advancing on them, I would seem like an old and trusted friend...
...Gertrude on the Job The next day she took a crowd of strikers to her house for lunch...
...The way then appeared clear for the triumphant return of von Papen...
...All but about six girls signed up with the union...
...Argentine Socialists Fight Sales Tax BUENOS AIRES.—The Socialist Parliamentary Group decided its position on the budget and new taxes projected by the President...
...From the other territories where the Wash Suit section of the Amalgamated Clothing Workers is conducting its strike, reports come of successful strikes...
...Everybody was out of work and to havs any kind of a job at all was lucky...
...He allowed to lapse some of the anil .social emergency decrees...
...Mulford who tried to line up the League of Women Voters...
...It's awful...
...You just go ahead on the assumption that everybody's coming, and with your mind, you push as large a group as possible out and over...
...At this stage of the game it seems incredible that I should bs getting sentimental, but there is something sublimely heroic about people taking such a chance with their bread and butter...
...Opposition Grows But in the meantime the opposition to the system represented by the former Chancellor and to his methods had grown so strong that even he himself began to have' doubts...
...After all, the girls in the factory knew me...
...And while we recognize the continuance of a government of this kind is possible, since thanks to the Nazis and the Communists a government deriving its authority from the will of Parliament is impossible for the time being, we must decline to perpetuate it...
...His hopes of securing Gregor Strasser as a member of his Cabinet and at the same time Minister-President of Prussia were quickly dispell ¦), and the great question now is what attitude the Hitlerites will take, when the Reichstag re-assembles, towards the motion of want of confidence proposed by the Social Democrats and the Communists...
...I'm afraid to let the mout of my sight for a minute...
...Because of all this the capitalist press conferred on him the title of "Social General," an honor as easily earned as the commendation given to an officer who looks after the quarters and rations of his - subordinates to keep them in good humor...
...My voice at first came hard and strained...
...It's one whale of a job...
...I'll spare you the agonizing details...
...9---there she was standing on the corner in the rain arguing with some) of the girls who didn't want to come in...
...That is, I got In touch with Winnie E. Branstetter, wife of the late National Secretary, Otto Branstetter, and her town splendid daughters and the rest of the branch...
...Even it they don't stick, even if they turn around tomorrow and curse us, I still say it's heroic...
...This suspicion was probably strengthened by the fact that the leaders of the trade unions and myself were both consulted by the . General before his appointment...
...In reality, however, our opposition to von Papen did not in the least signify any disposition in favor of Schleicher, and if the new Chancellor had had any doubts about the matter—which we do not believe—he must have been very quickly enlightened by the course of the conversations with him and by the declarations of the Party outside and inside the Reichstag...
...you why G. W. Klein the Half dozen police and plainclothesmen who had been quartered in the factory all week had dissolved into thin air at this crucial time, but they were not in evidence, so I' walked in fast, bold as brass and smiling—and knees castenetting...
Vol. 15 • January 1933 • No. 2
