The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1920-10-29

They See Places Filled - Workers
Camp on Their JObs-University Stu
dents and Professors Are Enlisted.
STUTTGART, Oct. 29.-German in
dustrial leaders believe they have found
an effective weapon for fighting general
strikes in the Technische Nothilfe, |
known in Germany and Denmark as the
Red Cross of industry As evidence
they point to the fact that the organiza-
ton crushed a general strike in the state
Of Wuerttemberg in five days when that
state was menaced with a. complete par
alysis of all industrial activity.
The Technische Nothilfe was organ
lied at Stuttgart about year ago and
is operating under the direction of the
minister of the interior. In normal
times only a skeleton office is maintained
which occupies itself with preparation
for an emergency. Wuerttemberg isl
divided into 10 sub-districts. each Of
which has leader whose duty is to pre-
pare q list of volunteers able in emer-
gency to operate all the essential indus
tries of the community. The head Offices
in the city are furnished with a COM
plcte list of such volunteers. The active
technical emergency managers of essen
tial industries usually are named as
chiefs for those industries and they pre-
sumably are non-uniOn men. Among
the volunteers listed are university stu
dents. engineers, professors in the Poly
technic Institute and unskilled workmenI
from every class of society.
The central organization makes pro-
vision for bedding, fOodStuffs and army
kitchens for the volunteers who camp by
their jobs.
Each volunteer is informed in advance
where to report and upon the nOtifica-
al n RI hat
where the Technische Nothilfe has de
Ivered supplies considered sufficient for
the duration of the strike. 1t is claimed
that in a very short time the central of
ice thus can furnish an operating force
foI each industry.
The general strike here was called as
protest against the 10 per cent tax on
wcrkmen's wages. 1t was arranged BY
the Communists but adhered to by the
Majority Socialists, the more conserva-|
tive labor clements and trade unions
Distribution of food ceased and gas.
electric and water service was aban-
dCned. The community was confronted
with possible chaos when the Technische
Nathilfe stepped in, assumed control and
manned every essential post, vacated by|
the strikers, including the highly tech
nical positions.
There was some difficulty in finding
men fitted to aid in the heavy work.
such as firing furnaces, for few of the
volunteers had been accustomed to such
labor, but this was solved by working
very short shifts. The majority of the
2,5 men working and living in gas
works were Polytechnic students.
There were even union labor men
among the volunteers, for some of the
labor leaders believe that certain indus
tries must be kept going to prevent the
collapse of n community and that only
the Technische Nothilfe can do this.
Some of the conservative labor leaders
felt that the control of their organiza-
/ tions might slip out of their hands into
| those of the extreme radical elements
who would tie up all industries if it
For these reasons they have made no OPP
position to union men volunteering for
service with that organization.
The strike began at midnight, Satur-
day, the volunteers were ordered on duty
Sunday morning and by Monday morn
ing the industries were functioning on
the reduced capacities but by Wednes-
day morning normal production had
been attained. ...
Motor trucks were requisitioned for
the distribution of food to the volunteer
workers and an appeal was issued to
labor. philanthropic and social organic
atoms to aid in protecting the workers
and property. The members of the Tech
niSche NOthilfe are under obligations to
carry no arms.
In less than five days the strikers be-
gan to return to work and as each one
took his place. member of the Tech
nische Nothilfe quit unostentatiously
and in less than week the strikers
were again at their posts.
Chiefs of the Technische Nothilfe in
charge of the industrial plants at Stuff
CART were carefully instructed to obtain
written statements as to the condition
of the plants when the strikers returned.
50 that the radicals could not subse-
that it was the work of the Technische
Nothilfe.