The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1929-01-14

government for the actual construc-
ton of the battleships, in spite of
the fact that the settlement of this
question had been postponed on the
insistence of the bourgeois parties.
The minister of defense made his
demand on the ground that the de-
cision had been made by the pre-
vious parliament, and the financial
provision in the previous years
budget. The social democratic min
listers were placed in a very awk-
ward position. The previous par
Lament had decided to construct the
battleships against their opposition.
Then, to oppose the construction of
new battleships was one of the main
slogans in the election. Besides, no.
body with the slightest regard for
the interests of the German work
ing class can approve of the expen-
diture of money for the construction
of new battleships, when the money
could be employed to reduce the
heavy tax upon wages. Neverthe-
less, the social democratic ministers
agreed to the construction of the
cruisers, cynically violating their
election pledges, the expressed anti
militarist sentiment of the working
class and their own profession of
disarmament and pacifism. They
could not do otherwise, unless they
were prepared to abandon the policy
of coalition, and thereby cease to
be social democrats. Their refusal
to agree should be followed by their
resignation, which would mean a re-
turn to the political crisis to solve
which the coalition was formed.
Cynical Deception.
The whole social democratic party
and the masses were enraged by
the action of the social democratic
ministers. The demagogic talents
of the leaders, the maneuvering
ability of the party bureaucrats and
power of persuasion of all, had to
be taxed to the extreme to prevent
that the revolt Of the masses went
beyond control. In opposition to the
Communist demand for a referen-
dunn, the social democratic minis
tiers declared their intention to ask
the Reichstag to prohibit the con-
struction of all battleships.
By his maneuver they deceived
the social democratic workers who
were persuaded not to support the
Communist demand for referendum
Their refusal to submit the ques-
ton to a referendum revealed the
hypocritic and demagogic nature OF
the dramatic move of the social
democratic leaders bringing the fol.
lowing motion before the Reichstag
"The Reichstag prohibits the con-
struction of all battleships." 1t was
a foregone conclusion that the mo.
ton would be defeated in the Reich.
stag, as except the social democrats
Communists and perhaps few
democrats, all would vote against it
And precisely for this reason-the
surety of its defeat---did the social
democratic leaders table the motion
IT they really meant to have the
construction of battleships prohibit.
ed constitutionally, they would have
supported the Communist demand
for referendum.
The result of the election revealed
that the roots of parliamentary de.
mocracy were decayed. The com.
position of the new Reichstag was
such as made the formation of a
majority government impossible
without violating the verdict of the
electorate. In the election, the vot-
ing had been clearly on class lines
In casting their votes by millions
for the social democratic and Com
munist candidates, the working