The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1928-11-13
(Red Aid Press Service)

hand bombs, machine guns, tear gas
bombs, the arrest of revolutionary
workers, warrants for the arrest of
the whole of the members of the
Central Committee of the Commu-
mist Party of Austria, indictments
for high treason, confiscation of
newspapers and leaflets, collabora-
ton of social democratic republican
corps members and Seipel troops
against Communist workers, po-
grom language in the reactionary
press, language which could scarce
ly be more provocatory and unre-
stricted in times of civil war-this
is the balance which the Berlin
"Vorwarts" designates as flavor
able" for Austrian social demo-
crazy.
Austria stands at the parting of
the ways. The right bourgeois pa
pers of Vienna and Berlin are not
far wrong in stating this. It is the
first time since the existence of the
Austrian republic that the reaction
airy troops have dared to demon
strate in a threatening military
manner in the workers quarter of
Vienna. The demonstration itself,
If not so large as was intended, was
a success. That which the Austrian
bourgeoisie signed with blood
stained hand on July Is, 1927, the
aim which has guided all it's poll
tical striving since this time, it has
once more openly proclaimed on
this October as it's future policy.
Only small groups of revolutionary
workers resisted this reactionary
front, whose demonstration was
aided by not only the soldiery, but
by the social democratic defense
league.
Democratic" Country.
Austria has hitherto counted
among the most democratic" states
of Europe. Surrounded by the
countries of the white terror, Hun
gary, Yugoslavia, and Italy, it has
often been made a place of asylum
by political refugees from the re-
dictionary states of southern Europe.
Except Switzerland, it has been the
sole south European country pos
sessing certain democratic liberties.
and has frequently been plunged
into more or less serious conflicts
with its reactionary neighbors.
For years Austria has, however,
been gradually sassimilating the air
of the white terror In Burgenland
Horthy's bands press forward, in
Tyrol Mussolini's blackshirts are
close to the frontier. The allies,
when negotiating credits, never fail
to emphasize the necessity of cor
dered government conditions" In
the country itself the fascist and
christian socialist currents merged
IN the Home Defence League in one
military organization, and are seek
ing close organizatory connections
with similar organizations in the
; south European terror states.
These developments have been pro-
NOTED with delight by the christian
ocial-Seipel government, and have
encountered but little resistance
from the social democrats.
Socialists" Desert Fight.
On October 7, the forces of Aus
trian reaction held their dress re-
hearsal The result? The bour-
geois democracy of Austria threw
itself with all it's available forces
onto the side of the Home Defence
League, and the social democrats,
whilst forced by the pressure of the
masses to resolve on a counter dem
onstration, made no real struggle
against the fascist parade. The
Communist Party really took up
this struggle, but was at once out
lawed, and those workers who
Joined them came promptly into
conflict with the fists of the police.
The Red Aid functionaries who
came to help with their ambulance
were arrested. The "Rote Fahne"
was confiscated five times, and fl
nally subjected to a preliminary
censorship entirely non-constitution-
al.
This is what the social democratic
victory in Vienna really looks like.
This victory will doubtless have it's
sequel during the next few weeks
in the courts, should the workers
not succeed by energetic protests in
having the charges of high trea-
son, ETC., withdrawn.
Government Turns Fascist.
There is no doubt that October
7th signifies the open continuation
of the period of reaction commenced
on July Is, 1927. 1t signifies the
ranging of Austria in the reaction
airy front of it's neighbors. The
Home Defence named it's parade a
March on Vienna" in order to pro-
claim that October 7th was to have
the same significance for Vienna as
the March on Rome" for Italy,