The Daily Worker Newspaper, March 7, 1925, Page 14

Social-Democracy Strips Itself Naked ARTICLE It. HE next witness, the retired rep- resentative and minister of the reich, Dr. David, was then heard with reference to the assertions made by the witness Kloth on a change of pol- icy on the part of the social demo- crats during the war. The witness declared that such an assertion was not in the least in ac- cordance with the truth. The social democratic reichstag fraction, even after the outbreak of the Russian revolution, still contin- ued the policy of national defense and granting of war credits. At that time Mr. Ebert, openly defended this pol- icy, stating as justification that we had to go on granting credits because the will to peace was lacking on the other ‘side, Herr Ebert invariably opposed the pessimists, and stated clearly and un- equivocably that. there could be no question of peace at any price. He never abandoned hope that the situa- tion, even the military situation, would improve. When Austria and Turkey collapsed, and when our mili- tary headquarters failed us, the ma- jority of the fraction were in favor of either granting no more credits or of entering the government. Despite all this, Herr Ebert did his utmost towards inducing the party to sacri- fice even this-to the country. This suffices. to show the assertion that we had ¢hanged our policy, to be false. —(Vorwarts, December 15.) Social Democracy is not Revolutionary. EINE (barrister): Have you rea- son to believe that the policy of the social democratic party has been detrimental to national defense? Witness Fehrenbach (the one time clerical chancellor of the reich): I can only say that the great major- ity of the social democrats—apart from split off groups—has felt as pa- triotically as any other party. I am of the opinion that the whole revolu- tionary trend of feeling obtaining in Novetiter> 1918,:‘was not supported by the majority, socialists. Ebert him- self once told me that at that time he negotiated until far into the night with trade union leaders, in the en- deavor to prevent a general strike or a revolutionary movement.—(Vor- warts, December 15.) Stampfer and the Commanders | INDEWALD (barrister) moved that the head mayor Scheidemann be again called upon to appear the next day, in order to give informa- tion as to whether he wrote the ar- ticle published in “Verwarts” on Jan- uary 29,.1918, in which the munition workers’, strike was fully approved of. Chairman: The investigation made at the time showed the article to have . been written either by Herr Stamp- fer himself or by Herr Kuttner. Dr. Landsberg (barrister): t should like to observe here that at that time our military headquar- ters expressed to Herr Stampfer their regret that proceedings had been taken against Herr Stempfer on account of this articte-—(Vor- warts, Dec. 16.) Professor Bears Witness VIDENCE given by Alfred Weber, professor at Heidelberg: I have come forward as witness on my own initiative. In the spring of 1918, after the Brest Litovsk negotia- tions, I considered the situation to be internally politically endangered, and believed it to be highly probable the radical elements would gain power over the working class. | considered the best purpose to be attained by making it possible for the majority socialists, as su- perior and quiet people, to retain their hold upon the working class. - I thus endeavored to act as inter- mediary, I finally consulted with Herr Ebert and Herr Scheidemann, and was able to assume that this was not disagreeable to the secretary of state Roedern. We consulted upon the best way of putting an end to the strike ae speedily as possible, Formal Satisfaction : ITNESS Professor’ Alfred Web- er: I can only say that Ebert’s conduct was entirely the contrary of what it would have been if he had been desirous of aggravating the strike, or of gaining any political ad- vantage from it. On the contrary, Ebert told me that the point of first importance was to-.bring the workers to reason. We should then™be able to calculate upon the rapid settle- ment of the strike. I cannot remem- ber any further details. The question was, as these gentle- men told me, to give the workers the formal satisfaction that their econod- mic wishes—political questions were. not mentioned at all—were at least being listened to. With this informa- tion I went next day to Roedern, and told him ‘that I had. the definite im- pression that the strike, should it take place, would be settled within a very brief perlod—(Rote Fahne, Dec. 17.) Counter Measures Against Strike RINE (barrister): I have a letter from Schlicke (chairman of the Metal Workers’ Union) in which he opposes General von Wriesberg’s de- claration, and States that he journeyed to Stutt- gart as member of the army com- mission, with the knowledge of his then superior, General v. Wriesberg, for the express purpose of consult- ing with the committee of tne Ger- man Metal Workers’ Union on mea- sures to be taken against the strike. —(Rote Fahne, Dec. 17.) R. MARTIN (barrister): Was the number of strikers increased by the participation of the soctal demo- crats? Witness Henning (police council- lor): That can scarcely have been the case. The participation of the 8S. + D. party was a tactical maneuver; the party feared that it would otherwise be crushed against the wall by the independent social democrats. The greater number of the workers belong- ed to the independents—(Vorwarts, Dec. 17.) ITNESS Kindler (carpenter): expressly emphasized that we were all under military authority, and that anyone failing to obey was liable to punishment, Chairman: Was Ebert applauded? Witness: On the contrary, he had to stand a great deal. Such expres- sions as “strike sabotager” and “be- trayer of the workers.” Chairman: But had he mentioned the strike at all? Witness: No. audience called out to him to come to the point. After Ebert’s speech we did not know any more than before. He spoke of “food shortage” and tried to quiet us down in general.—(Vor- warts, Dec. 17.) Ebert as Strike Speaker ITNESS LEHNHOFF (editor of ‘the Berliner Tageblatt, who attended the strike meeting on the Treptow common where Ebert spoke) I was accustomed to Ebert's fresh and energetic way of speaking, and from the very beginning I had the impres- sion that the speaker was much de pressed; his address was also ex- tremely colorless. He declared that it was the duty of the workers at home*to support their brothers and fathers at the front, and to supply them with the best possible weapons. The workers in France and England were not missing a single working hour in their efforts to help their brothers at the front. We must do our utmost to bring about a peace which would enable Germany to live. ~ It struck me that Ebert-did not-ut- ter one revolutionary word.—(Vor- warts, Dec. 17.) : ITNESS. RICHARD MULLER: At the beginning of 1918 the This was why the}, right method. We revolutionary lead- ers fixed the day on which the strike was to start for January 28. On January 27, I called the important group of metal turners together in Berlin, and said to them: “The strike begins tomorrow!” As a matter of fact 300,000 to 400,000 workers downed tool in Berlin on January 28. I wished the social democrats to join the strike committee. The first meeting of the strike com- mittee took place in the evening of the 28th, between 6 and 7 o'clock, and. was participated in by deputies be- longing to the social democratic and independent socialist parties. At this meeting, at which I acted as chair- man, Ebert expressed the wish for equal representation in the strike com- mittee, but we rejected this motion. Ebert declared a discussion on the de- mands to be absolutely necessary: We then. discussed organizatory questions referring to the strike... At this mo- ment.-.we.received news that the af- fair was getting shaky, and the police were coming, whereupon the social democrats made themselves scarce. > On January 29, between 10 and 11 o’clock in the morning we met again in the Trade Union Buildings. Scheidemann was present. I do not remember whether Ebert was there. Scheidemann reported that the secre- tary of state, Wallraf, had refused to receive representatives of the striking workers. We had resolved that the deputies ‘should not go to Wallraf alone, for we had no confidence in the social demo- crats, and wanted to keep the inde- Our Readers’ Views The Circus Show in Washington. To the DAILY WORKER: The fourth of March was a big day for our beloved rulers. They had a big circus show in Washington. The elephant performed all his tricks again. Our “Save a penny” Coolidge and “Hell an’ Maria” Dawes proved to be excellent train- ers. Everybody was happy. Even the circus staff was full of glee. I mean the senators who feed the ele phant. They had their wages raised without striking, and they were not sold out by their union chiefs, besides the raise (10c a day) came quite feeling in favor of revolution increas- ed, and we had to hold back certain strata of the workers, as we consid- ered united action to be the only handy: The price of booze is going up ($140.00 a case, market price.) I am proud to say that our Chicago was not behind in expressing its pa- triotic feelings. 500 of our best. citi- zens of the gold coast (a rich set- tlement on the north side) took a day off and went to Washington. Their bootleggers followed the next day. Among the spectators you could see William Jennings Bryan, the famous donkey trainer, who is also well known as an opponent to the theory of the law of evolution. ut here with his own honest eyes he had a chance to see how an honest-to-god |donkey can eventually evolve into a great sized elephant, especially, when the donky’s forebears had their vac- uum brains filled with religious mat- ter and were carrying on a saben. 2 with the ku klux klan. Mr. Bryan, shakes hands with AM. Darwin! . . . For the next four years the elephant will wear the crown of a champion trick performer, till Wall Street will get tired of his bad manners and will crown the head of a more refined animal. So far everything is lovely! By the way, Cal had broadcasted a speech on the theme “How to feed an elephant.” He is considered to be the best authority on that subject. (He was hunting striking cops in the wild- erness of Massachusetts.) } He claims that if you feed too much oil to an elephant, the animal is bound to develop a fatal disease, known in medical terms as “teapot domities,” but in moderate portions oil is quite _|beneficial and besides, he said, one ichard Muller on January Strike kind of food is not advisable for any animal. Food must consist of graft, etc. M. RASGON. seemed pendents under observation as well— (Vorwarts, Dec. 17.) tegain Confidence of the Workers ITNESS RICHARD MULLER: The excitement was very great among the workers in January, 1918, the influence of the social democrats and the trade unions very small It was thus an excellent opportunity for these gentlemen to join the strike committee, and thus to regain the con- fidence of the workers. I am also of the opinion that if the affair had turn- ed out differently at that time, these gentlemen would have acted just as they did act later. ITH reference to defence of na- tive country, vacillation has scarcely been observable in the stand- point of the S. D. party. From the very beginning it. preached the prin- ciples. of holding out and of national defence. In order to prove this I should haye to produce innumerable articles and resolutions here, but as I have already stated, the right wing of social democracy has maintained a fairly consistent attitude on this ques tion. —(Vorwarts; Dee. a) > Coal Miners and the Dawes Plan (Continued from page 1) a widespread campaign of agitation against the Dawes plan. | Reformists and the Dawes Plan | ne Although the Dawes plan affects above all the interests of the mine workers, the reformist leaders of the miners’ organizations have done ab- solutely nothing to combat it. Even the congress of the International Trade Union Secretariats*in Prague did not seem to think it necessary even to touch upon the problems brought into existence by the Dawes plan. The executive board had held a session in Brussels before the meet- ing of the congresses, but the only action taken on this question was the decision to ask those in the districts affected to make a plea for lighten- ing the reparations deliveries. most active in this connection has been the English union, which sent a delegation to MacDonald lay- ing before him the hardships result- ing for the English miner from the Dawes plan. But this was all.. The re- formist miners’ organizations actually came out in support of the Dawes plan parties. When the miners’ strike broke out in Belgium, the reformist unions kept silent about and did not move to help their striking bro- thers, Final Conclusions The carrying out of the Dawes plan has increased international competi- tion on the coal market. The pressure: brought to bear on the miners by the coal owners is in- creasing proportionately. - Wages in-Poland, Belgium and Hol- land have. been lowered, unemploy- ment in England is increasing, and working conditions in England and Germany are becoming worse. The offensive of the coal is pronouncedly international in char acter, and is intensifying the class 8 For this reason the workers’ organ- izations must act on an international scale, HE reformists, who are in the closest contact with capital in their various fatherlands, are not in the slightest degree fitted for the struggle in their own countries, let alone for struggle on an international scale, Consequently it is the duty of the revolutionary miners to, unite the masses, to assume leadership and to show them the necessity of fighting the Dawes plan. At the same time it is necessary to fight for the restoration of interna tional unity, since this alone assures the possibility of exerting influence over the masses of the miners, eet LE NRA NN