Paris Conference Hears German Reports of Terror
Cahan, Abraham
Paris Conference Hears German Reports of Terror Move Made by Americans for Approach To Moscow for United Action By Abraham Cahan Special Cable to The Sew Leader DARIS—The whole program and...
...He spoke bit* terly against the Hitler regime, saying that in Great Britain all parties are united upon that point...
...At the same time he made a bitter attack upon the Soviet government and said millions are starving and that in many cities of Russia corpses are lying in the streets...
...Blum denounced Socialist com* promise with bourgeois Republl* cans and declared that no power could be effectively exercised only with full power to use h> The speech was understood to be directed to the special situation that exists in France...
...The German Socialist leaders, Otto Wels, Rudolph Hilferding, Rudolph Breitscheid and Siegfried Aufhauser, look well and appeared hopeful, and appeared energetic and in fighting spirit in the hours before the convocation of the Conference by President Emile Vandervelde of Belgium...
...We estranged the middle class in the crisis, and Hitler won them, with the aid of the Communists, who fought us furiously to the very end...
...The International still lives despite all disasters...
...Communists and Fascists, and yet the Allies demanded control of every German rille...
...Moscow says the working class must pass through the stage of Hitlerism before reaching Socialism, and so long as the Bolshevikl hold this view collaboration between the two Internationals *s impossible...
...Otto Wels, chairman of the German party, spoke feelingly in defense of the tactics of bis party...
...Panken and Blum Jacob Panken was listened to I with warm attention in an excelI lent analysis of "the National ReI covery Act in which all Europeans are deeply interested...
...Don't fear that they may cheat you...
...Wels hinted at an underground movement operating in Germany, and concluded with a vigorous appeal, full of hope and enthusiasm, asking the comrades the world over to help...
...The German Victims Wels delivered a fiery speech at the preliminary meeting of the Executive, and others who spoke in the same spirit were Otto Bauer, Robert Dannenberg, Pollock and Karl Seitz of Austria...
...If they had been humane to our tender republic everything would have been different...
...The most important event of the second day s session was a speech by Otto Wels, answering the critics of the German Social Democracy and reviewing the events from the German R e v o 1 ution of 1918 to the Hitler catastrophe...
...Millions of Germans are burning with hatred and are thirsting for revenge against the Hitler regime...
...The rote will be taken over the week-end...
...A brilliant speech was made by Dr...
...In his short speech, sober and full of good sense, he said: "If the rights of the workers are abused, fight, if necessary, even against the majority, and if need be by illegal means...
...At moments he appeared to be on the verge of a breakdown, but the general effect was passionate argument full of important details of a great historical tragedy by a strong man who was at the center of the events...
...Vandervelde spoke enthusiastically of the boycott of Hitler's Germany instituted by the recent Brussels congress of the International Federation of Trade Unions...
...He struggled to control himself and suppress the pain or rage that he felt...
...nomically broken by a terrible war...
...Wels drew an impressive picture^ of how the Social Democracy was ruthlessly fought by three formidable foes, the Allies, the Communists and the Fascists, "a battle that went on ceaselessly for fifteen years.'* He spoke of the Kapp counter-revolution of 1920, and the general strike and the quick victory over it of the Social Democracy...
...He made it clear that when Hitler came into power the Social Democracy was emaciated and helpless...
...Jacob Panken and Maynard Krueger of the American delegation delivered addresses pointing out the dangers and opportunities inherent in the Recovery Act Both insisted that it is in no sense Socialism or even State Socialism, but rather an advanced form of State Capitalism...
...It was a aad story of a battle against great odds, and his voice was often full of misery...
...The general mood of the conference as it began was cheerful, earnest and devoted, the only moment hinting at the tragedy that has befallen the world occurring during a speech by Pietre Nenni of the outlawed Italian party when he said: "We have here as delegates comrades who used to come to international congresses as ministers of state, and who are now emigres, hounded by savages...
...He said he is opposed to negotiating with the Communists in separate countries, but he believed in trying to secure cooperation with the Communists internationally...
...Keep your eyes open, and don't let them stop us...
...Secretary of Foreign Affairs under Arthur Henderson...
...Leon Blum of France spoke on the third day, saying: "Real political democracy is impossible without economic democracy, bourgeois democracy being but a stepping stone...
...There were scenes of affectionate greeting for the delegates from the outlawed German Social Democracy...
...Hugh Dalton, British Under...
...have been fourteen years in building what they call a Socialist state, but the result is a gigantio and a powerful state in which every form of democracy is paralyzed...
...The Bolsheviki think it necessary only to gain power and to hold it, but we feel that we want real Socialism and liberty...
...I insist that democracy of today, wherever it exists, is not the result of bourgeois revolutions but of the onward march of the workers...
...Why did we not declare a full Socialist revolution in 1918...
...session was Robert Grimm, once a full-fledged Bolshevik, now an ardent democratic Socialist...
...Ten years ago, at the Hamburg congress, at which our International was organised, I said that Moscow Communism and Paris militarism were the chief aids to German reaction...
...Vandervelde delivered a magnificent Socialist address, aflame with Socialist conviction...
...An interesting feature is the keen Interest displayed by all delegates in the NRA program of the Roosevelt administration...
...Leon Blum, eloquent and popular leader of the French Socialists, has Joined s more initiated at the special Conference of the Labor and Socialist International, looking toward inviting the Communist International to a conference at which plans are to be made for a united battle with Fascism in Germany and all other countries...
...We were driven by terrible circumstances," he shouted passionately, and then proceeded to paint a terrible picture of the frightful results of the crisis...
...Adler ridiculed the opinion that democracy and liberty are unnecessary and outworn, and he a sserted that the rise of Hitlerism aroused a vigorous, battle for democracy everywhere...
...The German Republic was treated by the victorious Allies brutally, as a strong and long-established enemy, not as a weak young creature eco...
...He denounced Hitler's anti-Semitism and general reaction, and his mediaeval brutalities, and was warmly applauded at the close...
...This was their mistake, but the real trouble was that the S'- Met movement was fat ed by t h bitter hostility of organized Communism, and so Social Democracy was crushed...
...Among the bitterest of the critics of the Social Democracy was Raphael Abramowitsch of the Russian Socialists and a member of the Bureau of the Labor and Socialist International...
...The last speaker of the first day's...
...With 145 delegates in attendance from 36 Socialist parties in 30 countries, every phase of the world situation is being studied, with especial reference to the Hitler catastrophe in Germany...
...He spoke vigorously in favor of an anti-Hitler boycott and demanded that the Trade Union International and the Socialist International join in the boycott and call the Hitler government to account before the League of Nations...
...Paris Conference Hears German Reports of Terror Move Made by Americans for Approach To Moscow for United Action - By Abraham Cahan Special Cable to The Sew Leader DARIS—The whole program and policy of the world Socialist movement are being examined in the face of the calamity that has overtaken Germany by the special conference of the I alx>r and Socialist International meeting here...
...A committee, including two Americans, is working for a favorable vote on their resolution...
...He demanded that the L.S.I, ask the Communist International to a joint conference...
...George Lansbury, veteran leader of the British Labor Party, and six others, among them Herman Kobbe and Jacob Panken of the A merican delegation...
...In his attack upon the German Socialists, Abramowitsch said he had been warning for years of what actually happened, and said the German capitalists knew the Socialists would not fight...
...The German Socialists and workers will fight bravely and their victory"!* certain...
...Nenni said of the German Social Democracy that its 1918 revolution should not have stopped, but should have gone on to Socialist goals...
...Moscow must realize the difference between the struggle in Fascist countries and in countries in which democracy still obtains...
...Leon Blum Joins Move For Unity Conference PARIS...
...We made various mistakes," he began, "but our critics mostly forget the circumstances and facts of the situation in which we worked...
...Only people who do not understand our terrible position," he exclaimed, "can criticise us because we thought internationally...
...The first speech was delivered by Friedrich Adler, secretary of the L.S.I., who outlined the situation and drew lessons for the future...
...It is the duty of Socialists to protect democracy in democratic countries, while revolutionary methods are required in countries that hav* succumbed to Fascism...
...Blum criticised those who attack the German comrades and said we need not attacks, but moral and tonic encouragement for further activities...
...he proclaimed...
...Blum delivered a fiery speech opposing compromise with foes of the working class, and calling for united action against Fascism with the Communist International, "No action against Fascism and war* be declared, "can be accomplished until the proletarian front is reestablished in all countries...
...But the present situation will not last...
...It is your battle as much as it is ours," he ended amidst stormy and p assionate applause...
...He spoke of the years of inflation and its devastating economic effects, and of the crushing world crisis and of the millions unemployed since 1929...
...The building ia which that great Congress was held was guarded by 12,000 of ew Socialiet boys against threatening...
...He explained its good and bad points clearly and successfully, and added a word of warm appreciation of the German comrades in their tragedy...
...There are many signs that the Hitler regime cannot last much longer...
...he asked, and he answered by picturing the situation then...
...There is more than one way to Socialism, but the final goal can be reached only by a united working class...
...The Communists even today are fighting our brave people in Germany, even now, because they believe Bolshevism will come through the Hitler catastrophe...
...And when I mentioned this at the Congress, Comrade Leon Blum said: 'Francs understands the German republic of today but does not know the Germany of tomorrow, and is not sure of what will happen.' " Web Reports on Germany Wels explained how the Communists compelled the Socialists to vote for Hindenburg to prevent the election.of Hitler as President of the Republic on the first ballot...
...Yet our critics say we yielded without a struggle...
...Leon Blum, Pierre Renaudel of the French party...
...Of Russia he said:: "The Bolshevik...
...The delegates from all countries employed the first few days of the conference to study the policies of the German Social Democracy from the November revolution of 1918, drawing conclusions from them and some of the delegates vigorously criticising them...
...The German Social Democracy," he continued, "was too busy with its immediate problems and failed to formulate a general policy...
...Friedrich Stampfer's face, however, showed signs of the tragic events of the past months, but he, too, was enthusiastic over the prospects of a Socialist victory over Hitlerism...
...They claim they already have SO signatures to their resolution...
...Winter of Czechoslovakia Insisted that the movement show the world that collapse of the German party is not the collapse of the Socialist movement, and he emphasized the fact that the German comrades had to battle both Communists and Fascists, both of whom sought to destroy them, and he called attention to the fact that at that very moment the French Com* munists were in session black* guarding and attempting to destroy the Socialist Party...
...Web Greets American Socialists PARIS.—Otto Wels, chairman of the Germans Social Democratic Party, now in exile in Czechoslovakia, sends the following greeting to the Socialists of America: "My warm Socialist greetings to our comrades in America...
Vol. 16 • August 1933 • No. 9
