EUROPE HOPES FOR 'NEW DEAL' AS ECA RECONSTRUCTS ECONOMY
BROWN, IRVING
Europe Hopes for 'New Deal' AS ECA Reconstructs Economy Trade Unions Play Decisive Role, Reports AFL Envoy By Irving Brown ALLIED VICTORY in the late war was gained against an aggressor...
...It is this section of European society which holds the key to whether or not Europe will remain free or be submerged by Soviet totalitarianism...
...It would present' to the Russians tho opportunity which they believe must inevitably come because of the nature of capitalism...
...and the democratic Socialism of British and Western European labor are beginning to approach each other, and become eventually joined together in a mutual international economy...
...the very face of Europe is changing...
...But in saying these things it would be a colossal error to characterise the present international situation as a Russian-American conflict...
...The myth, rather than the principle of unity, has become so ingrained in many sections of Europe that the people have a paranoic fear of schism, without any regard for the basis upon which unity is to be achieved...
...Russia, as a ration born in revolution, has renounced the dreams and ideals which motivated her Founding Fathers in the overthrow of the Tzar...
...The sixteen beneficiaries of the European, Recovery Program rjave increased their industrial, production over prewar levels by 14 percent...
...Long-term projects like the scheduled Italian land reforms are in the making...
...In Western Europe, Communist penetration of the trade unions aims at preventing economic recovery in order to guarantee political instability, which constitutes an absolute pre-requisite for Russian hopes of dominating the European continent By attempting to control the major industrial and economic centers of Western Europe through trade union power and control, the Russians hope, at the very least, to deny to the West economic reconstruction and an eventual improvement of the standard of living...
...2. Trade unionists engage in direct political activity, even taking on the roles of elected deputies...
...It is important to understand what may appear to be strange and even unpalatable phenomena to many Americans...
...A crisis in the U.S...
...2. In roost countries, there is a close liaison between the trade union and political parties—usually the Socialists are, predominant except for France and Italy, where the Communists are strongest amongst the workers...
...On several occasions since 1946 the author has made this type of proposal to the top policy-makers of the State Department, and on one occasion to a former Secretary of State...
...This means no repetition of the Taft-Hartley experience of 1947, which hfad the effect of sabotaging the Marshall Plan policy of the U.S.A...
...Any attempt to diminish the role and influence of the trade unions at home will be catastrophlc-fbr America abroad...
...Economic recovery of West- ern political stability, by undercutting the position of the Communist Party in the trade unions, especially in such strategic countries as France and Italy, would jeopardize Russia's position in the satellite countries...
...IN THE LIGHT of what I have presented concerning the trade unions as the key to the European problem, what can or must be done by America...
...The role and influence of American ¦ trade unions must be brought home to the European trade unionists...
...World War II must thus be viewed in part as an ideological struggle involving profound economic, social, and political changes with direct bearing on present-day Europe...
...A policy of nationalizaton or socialization of all basic and public industries is usually supported...
...In part...
...An important phase of Russian Communist policy in the trade unions is the declaration of war against the Marshall Plan...
...However, a wide gap has developed between the hopes of the "little people" as nurtured under the occupation and the reality of post-war Europe...
...The present post-war situation is related to that ideological conflict...
...It is in the support of,a high level, prosperous economy at home and a dynamic foreign policy abroad that America can become, in the words of Abraham Lincoln, "not the terror of the world but the hope of the world...
...Labor, management and government must work together to develop a national policy which will enable the continuation of n high-mass consumption economy...
...9 AMERICA MUST also proclaim that this is not a struggle between capitalism and Socialism...
...MOW WHAT ARE some of the characteristics of this European labor movement so coveted by the Communists...
...The trade unions act now as the major instrument in maintaining this system, as well as guaranteeing that the economic system becomes part and parcel of a totalitarian state—in otter words, a single monopoly which controls every economic, political and social aspect of the peoples' lives...
...Workers elect their representatives to act as administrators of social security funds in many countries...
...The propagation of the myth of "capitalism versus Socialism" reduces itself to portraying America as representing all the alleged evils of capitalist ex...
...BUT ABOVE everything else, it is important that American policy at home guarantee full employment and the maintenance and expansion of living standards...
...Tais is a common crusade of Europe- and America to prevent Hitler from gaining a post-war victory in the fo;m of Stalin's totalitarianism...
...Trade unions as such have consultative status in most of these agencies...
...And some—posing as ERP supporters—want to "build Europeans" like Procrustes aided the wayfarer: by cutting them down in the interests of ^'economy...
...American economic resources are being placed at the disposal of Europe to prevent it from going under...
...Let Europe realize that America is a nation born in revolution, and that the history of our country has con* tinned to evolve towards the realization of the great American Dream inherent in the revolution and Constitution of our Founding Fathers...
...Later became completely controlled through a system of compulsory and forced labor...
...in Europe...
...This may explain why, in spite of the economic recovery already achieved in post-war Europe, there are vast areas of discontent...
...This has become a dividing line between the agents of the Cominform and the democratic free trade unionists of the West...
...4. In rejecting what they term "capitalism" or "free enterprise," and in supporting the so-called "managed" or "controlled" economy, most European trade unionists accept the idea that the government shall do the directing or controlling but demand adequate trade union participation in the apparatus...
...It is a simple black and white story: "There is only one kind of Socialism...
...ANOTHER ASPECT of the Communist ideological campaign in the trade union movement is what I call the myth of unity, which has become one of the most dynamic political phenomena of the post-war world as contrasted to 1910-1920, when the whole Communist movement was conceived of and based upon splitting the Socialist International and the trade unions of Europe...
...involving mass unemployment for any length of time, would be disastrous to American policy abroad and to the efforts of our democratic friends to resist the wave of totalitarianism...
...not hope to maintain peace...
...In part, we are aiding ourselves-^for without a united Europe...
...5. In the field of social security, trade unions are making great strides forward, covering all forms of insurance— unemployment, health, old age, sickness, accident—and, of course, in many countries extra wage allocations are accorded on the basis of size of family...
...1. Most European trade unionists reject what they term "capitalism" and accept some form of socialist ideology— usually characterizing it as "democratic socialism" in order to distinguish themselves from the totalitarian variety...
...Agriculture is holding Jts own...
...But this ideological aspect of post-war Europe must be kept clearly in view...
...Those who survived the nightmare of the war, and lived for years in expectation of the day of liberation, longed for the ending of hostilities which would be the beginning of the realization of their war-time dreams...
...Steel is up a third...
...Russia's strategy is to maneuver Americans into accepting this as the basis of the ideological struggle...
...Resistance to the Nazis was thus not only motivated by a sense of nationalism but also by a sense of social and class justice...
...Sweden, Denmark and Norway also have labor-controlled governments through a Social Democratic or Labor Party...
...To Build a United Europe .. ." THE MARSHALL PLAN'S first year has shown it to be a many-pronged endeavor...
...This combination of psychological and economic depression robs the people of Europe of rational and normal criteria, ^nd, of course, increases their receptivity to the siren calls of demagogues...
...Europe is fighting for i-_s life against Russian domination...
...But there is only one way to build Europeans and build a united Europe: by adhering strictly to our moral commitment to allocate not letty and not more, but...
...Economically, psychologically, politically, socially—from whatever vantage point we consider this huge, manifold undertaking—it has hurled revolutionary forces Into* motion...
...Once stale power had been achieved, these very self-same instruments were .incorporated into the state apparatus and stripped tit any passible free or ndependent rale in relation to the state...
...Let us not be afraid to say that ours is a country where the ideals of the revolution are being realized, while Russia's revolution has devoured its own children and the present Stalin regime has destroyed its ideals...
...Europe Hopes for 'New Deal' AS ECA Reconstructs Economy Trade Unions Play Decisive Role, Reports AFL Envoy By Irving Brown ALLIED VICTORY in the late war was gained against an aggressor foe who Was attempting not merely to conquer in a military sense but also to impose his ideology on Europe and the world...
...It is this movement, whether one likes it or not, that will determine in the last analysis the success or failure of Western Europe's reconstruction...
...In the words of General Clay: "Although the American people believe in free' enterprise, they believe even more firmly in democracy...
...But self-interest, if nothing else, demands a true appreciation of what has become a major arena in Europe's "cold war"—namely, the trade unions...
...Irving'Brown !s the AFL's roving ambassador abroad...
...Whose worldwide effects we shall be measuring for a long time...
...Resentment toward Americans has increased (and we shall have to act quickly to offset that), but in general the psychology of the people of Europe is brighter than it has been...
...These trade unions of Europe have become the major battleground of the East-West Struggle...
...On the other hand...
...Europeans must begin to see.and Teel the efforts of American trade unionists in top policy positions abroad...
...Remembering our description of the ideological background of most Eurq» pean trade union leaders, any attempt on the part of America to impose or glorify its system would play into Russian hands...
...It must be remembered that the Westera European labor movement has had a long and honorable history of struggle against economic and political exploitation...
...Some would "build Europeans" in the image of our own social and economic order...
...It is a logical aftermath of the Nazi-Soviet Pa.r...
...HERE, IN A NUTSHELL, you have a picture of the European labor movement...
...They believed that this was a war of liberation not only from Nazi tyranny but from internal, national forms of class oppression...
...The war aims of these "little people" cannot be ignored in Considering, America's ffole* Iriwjpoijt-war Europe...
...ECA Administrator Paul Hoffman frankly states: "In order to build a united Europe, you , first have to build Europeans...
...The extent to which the'trade unions of Europe can remain, free and independent will be of decisive importance in determining Europe's future -Tad checking the plans of the Cocxus.'orro...
...European culture and civilization t:c at ^take...
...This carried over into post-war Europe but is now beginning to fade as the reality of Communist aims and objectives create split after split in the European and world labor movement...
...This also goes back to the days of the war when resistance against the Nazis was a united one—including Communists, Socialists and Conservatives against the common foe...
...Nor are we proceeding toward the goal of unifying Europe in blindly "pragmatic''fashion...
...Some would prefer not to "build Europeans" alt all, but to turn them over, hungry and frustrated, to the Comunists...
...But now, under the impetus of ERP, the incompleted democratic revolutions of another era may reach fruition at last, for as Sir Stafford Cripps—who is not usually given to hyperbole—remarks: ''In one year ECA ha* .done more, for . European unity than was accomplished in the preceding 500 years...
...The great mass of Europeans came through this war and the resistance movements against the Nazis with deep convictions about not tgtuKniqg to the past but.of going forward to a "New Deal" in the European social and economic structure...
...we can...
...In this common loyalty to democracy, the new capitalism of the U.S.A...
...This involves something more than the participation of American trade unions in international affairs and organizations...
...this Is a humanlarian ask...
...It should be clear to anyone who has lived in Europe for the past few years that the direction which the .trade union and political fabor movement takes will determine, in a large measure, which way Europe1 will go in the ensuing struggle between Democracy and totalitarian dictatorship...
...NOWHERE CAN THESE IS8UES be seen- more readily than in the European labor movement which Communism attempts to capture as the first and major pre-requisite for eventual political and economic power...
...This io what Stalin would like most Europeans to believe, since neutrality in Europe plays into Russian hands...
...Our economy must continue to work...
...Russia's foreign diplomacy is being complemented by her unofficial diplomatic arm, the efforts of the world Communist movement, to win over the trade unions...
...In several Eijtem European coun•-at*, the trade unions were captured vy the Communist Party and iu agents n order to attain and maintain power...
...The psychological effects of post-war disillusionment can only be understood by comparing these great expectations of the masses with their present lot...
...t * *> * MOST REMARKABLE OF ALL...
...For whoever gains the soul of European labor can gain all other objectives...
...Stalin wishes to cash in politically on the economic ruins left by HiUer...
...For example, the appointment of a top trade union leader to America's leading post in Germany would have an electrifying effect—encouraging our frienoj ajuj astounding our enemies...
...Wartime despair is giving way—slowly, to be ¦ure—to wary hope...
...For centuries, the Continent has been a maelstrom of warring nationalisms...
...The attack on ERP has become one of the basic points of departure in Russia's "cold war" against the free trade union movement...
...For example, in Great Britain the trade unions are the basis and foundation of the Government Labour Party...
...enough to enable the Western world to raise itself to normal stature...
...Russia knows that her objectives or ends are not only challenged -but may well be spiked for an indefinite period by ERP's success, since economic stability in Western Europe would not only cause her defeat in the West but might cause her empire—based on ideology plus terror— to be greatly shaken and enhance the possibility of a further spread of the Tito-virus...
...As such, he Is in continuous dose contact with the leaders, people and trends of many European countries...
...6. The growing participation in industry and politics is gradually being matched by trade union activities on an international plane not only in such agencies as the ILO but in broader areas where trade unionists are representing their respective countries in United Nations, Economic and Social Council, I.T.O., etc...
...Consumption goods—still far too few Htfe returning of the market...
...The Nazis were not concerned merely with attaining a military victory to rectify borders, national injustices, or to satisfy certain expansionist and nationalistic aims out to reorganize Europe ana eventually the world on the basis of National Socialistic ideology...
...Lenin, the founder of Russian Bolshevism, once said: "Trade Unions are the schools for Communism...
...American policy in Europe is not to fight for "free enterprise" but for a free society, for free labor—for the right of the Europeans themselves to determine democratically what form of economic and social controls they shall or shall not have...
...This :s as n.uch the fight of European democrat.- as it is ours...
...Penetration, infiltration, and control • of the unions, pprmit a type of ideological or psychological warfare unknown to any other political state...
...ploitation, while Russia is presented as aland flowing with the milk and honey of Socialism...
Vol. 32 • April 1949 • No. 17
