The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-09-28
BY LAURENCE TODD.
(Federated Press

WASHINGTON, Sept. 27.-Im-
pressions gained in a three months
stay in Europe, just ended, are due
to talks with trade union, political
and peasant spokesman of varying
degrees of authority. I saw these
men in London, Moscow, a Russian
village, Prague, Vienna, small towns
in Austria and Bavaria, and in Mum
ich, Freiburg, Basel and Geneva.
Here, in brief, is what l found;
British Labor Strong.
Britain is slowly recovering indus
trial strength, and her labor move
ment is far more competent to resist
tory employers attacks than press
dispatches of the past year would
indicate. Her labor party will al
most certainly form the next British
cabinet-either alone or with the as
sistance of the liberals. Her recent
trade union act will be repealed.
Germany is definitely settled on
her republican foundations, and her
working class is turning its attention
once more to strictly class issues.
Hitler, Ludendorf and their fascist
groups are no longer dangerous; they
are merely ridiculous.
Soviet Union Peasantry Content.
The Soviet Union is rapidly devel-
oping its industries, although still
suffering from the economic blockade
of the international bankers and the
hostility Of the British tory govern
ment. Cost of living in Russian
towns is high, and unemployment is
about the same as in Germany and
England but the system of unem-
ployment benefits in the Soviet Union
is better than in western Europe,
Russian peasants, harvesting their
third good crop in three years, are
relatively prosperous and are hap
pier than at any time they can re-
member. The Communist Party is
firmly established in control Of gov
eminent and of every cultural enter
prise, and is now free of anxiety as
to movements of discomfort among
the peasants. American business is
beginning to flirt with Moscow.
Vienna, stronghold of the social
democrats in the Danube basin,. is
giving to the world revolutionary
lessons in taxation, in providing gooc
| housing for the masses, and in re
form of the public schools. Sur
rounded by a conservative agricul-
tural Austrian peasant population
which takes its politics from the
church, Vienna is citadel of organ
lied workers, fighting for a wage
that will feed them and their wives
and children. They have to face moi
only the employers, but also the walls
raised by the Czech export tax or
coal for Austrian factories and the
other economic handicaps that arr
due to the peace treaties. Yet al
though they seem doomed to final
starvation, these Vienna workers turn
out, at a signal, 100000 marchers il
peaceful parades of protest or ap-
peal. The riot of July was due tc
the fact that their leaders failed tc
arrange a formal demonstration, anc
small group of hoodlums took ad
vantage of a spontaneous walkout Of
! factory workers who wanted to make
protest at the acquittal of men who
/ had murdered three of their com
rades. Vienna is supporting 10000
unemployed by taxation of the rich
Europe Wants Labor In Power.
Geneva is today, more than in any
previous year, world capital. TWEEN
/ ty-two ministers of foreign affairs
from as many nations, were in at
/ tendance at the sessions of thu
| League Assembly when | was there
The league as an institution which
enables powerful politicians to ge
/ together and reach agreements