Evening star., 1931-12-20
Students in Europe Take Active Interest
ln Politics in Contrast to L. s. Attitude

(Continued From Third Page)
could not explain this radicalism The
deeper reason for this trend lies in the
economic difficulties with which the
Young genera ton is faced Not only
through the university. but they have
also the certainty that after having I'm
iShed their studies, for years to come
they will not be able to obtain remurer-
ative occupation. State and municipal
administrations as we'll as private en-
terprises have ruth'eSSly reduced the
number of jobs open to university
graduates. The introduction Oh wade
scale of compulsory health Insurance
has reduced the field of Wcrk for the
independent General practF Jner while
II has not enlarged. III the same meas
Ilre, the number OF doctors employed by
insurance agencies public and private.
This and several other reasons have
led to a state of things in which In
Germany for instance, more than hall
the graduates who leave the university
every year are unable 10 md adequate
emplOVment To-day there are probably
$50 900 university graduates OF the las!
Ave years who have never yet had a job.
The importance of this figure becomes
clear when one realizes that the en-
tire German student enrolment amounts
only to about 10000 students.
Therefore. it is not surprising that stu
dents should Join extremist political
movements in order TO seek political
change which will enable them 10 pro-
cure an economic basis OF livelihood.
Students Aid Hitler Movement.
As Germany is rather typical OF
number Of European countries. 1t Is
instructive to analyze somewhat more
fully the Hitler movement in the uni
verSitieS. which has sometimes been
described as Fascist movement
though it does not altogether repre-
sent the same positive element which
is to be found in Italian FaScism. The
Hitler movement to which at present
about rs per cent of the German stu
dents owe allegiance. is movement
typical of the middle classes driven to
despair It's members. and particularly
its student members, largely come from
impoverished middle class families, the
very families which before the war
gloried in the idea of the German EN-
pire and the greatness OF the German
nation. both politically and culturally.
They have saved this national tradi-
tion and are even living by it nova
days. At the s ne time they have
really become uetarianzed. and this
is where the Socialist tendencies in the
Hitler movement come in. 1t has not
got we'll established Socialist program,
but. for instance, its demands for the
appropriation Of those people who have
made their fortunes since the begin
ming of the war and for the right to
work are Of definitely Socialist char
acter. The unbiased observer cannot
expect any real Improvement in the
actual economic situation of Germany
and OF the middle classes from a vic
tory OF the Hitler movement. for its
program. with its elements of National
ism and Socialism haphazardly COM
bined, does not offer any constructive
solutions. Yet as a movement of de-
spair. We can understand it and have
sympathy with it.
The Nationalist elements in the
movement determine its attitude to In
ternational questions and explain its
demands put forward most strongly by
It's student members, for revision of
the peace treaties and the cancellation
Of reparation payments
This same revisionist idea Is also
strong i'll great many other political
movements in which students partici-
pate. For instance, in Hungary the
universities are the stronghold of all
those tendencies which work for the
establishment Of Hungary in its for
mer territory. In every student build
ing and ONCE there are posters showing
a map Of the old territory Of Hungary
with black lire inside marking the
neW territory sad underneath the in
Scc,pton Mem mem, soha!" Ono, no,
ne er!'0.
In Turkey. where the Nationalist
movement among the students is very
strong the students efforts are directed
toward more definitely constructive
ends. They take a prominent part in
the carrying out Of the great reforms
which have been introduced by Kemal
Pasha, the Ghazi" A large number
OF students direct the evening courses
in which the population is taught the
new Latin script, and they are found
everywhere as collaborators in govern
ment and municipal Offices.
Join Nationalist Movements.
While. owing to their middle -elass
origin. on the whole, students tend to
join Nationalist movements, examples
OF radical. Socialist and Communist