Evening star., 1933-09-25
American Labor and the Nazis.

OF the countless protests aroused in
this country by recurring manifestations
of Hitlerism, none is more significant
than proposed action by the American
Federation of Labor. President Green
announces that at next months annual
convention of the A. F. of L. resolu-
tions will be offered demanding a boy
colt Of Germany in remonstrance
against 1.-The complete crushing of the
German labor movement by the Hitler
regime" Various European labor oreani-
cations. notably In Great Britain, have
declared boycott of German goods,
and Mr.. Green suggests that the time
has come for American labor to con-
slider similar steps.
The federation chieftain minces no
words in excoriation Of the Nazis. "Ter-
rorism in Germany" he saws has gone
to wilder and wilder extremes and has
resulted in open war on the trade union
movement. and the torture, exile and
even death Of many trade union
leaders," Describing how even the rela-
tiveS of exiles are subjected to heartless
cruelties, wherever such relatives can
be found In Germany. President Green
says "the whole business is medieval,
sickening and revolving" He empha-
sizes that II American labor decides
upon a boycott Of Germany it will not
be directed against the German people,
but, in the words Of the British labor
movement, will be "a human protest
against the betrayal and denial by the
German government of the principle of
civilized behavior"
In destroying the Social Democratic
party the Nazis automa tically killed the
German labor movement. There were
so-called Christian" mon -SocialisD
trade unions before the Hitler tyranny,
but the overwhelming majority of Ger
man workers was identified with the
Social Democratic party, which practi-
Thus, in blotting out the Social Demo-
crats-the hated and reviled "MarxistS,"
who committed the unforgivable sin of
overthrowing Hohenzollernism and set
ting up the republic-the Nazis obliter-
ated the German labor movement. From
the outset of the Hitler autocracy the
Socialists and the Jews have been the
special objects of its ruthless fury.
In consequence, President Green
points out, "the rights Of collective bar
gaining and other rights enjoyed by
trade unions in every civilized country
have been trampled under foot by men
who act like barbarians."
Strong and justified as these words
are, the action American organized
labor proposes would come home to
Germany with even greater force. The
organized workers of the United States
constitute mighty purchasing power.
Once they decide en- masse to buy
nothing made in Germany" the effect
on the Reichs American trade would
be immediate and widespread. 1t is diff
ficult to imagine anything more directly
designed to bring NaAdom to its senses,
especially at a time when the Hitler
government is gravely concerned to
combat unemployment and other eco
nomic distress.
The protest action foreshadowed by
President Green does credit to the high
ideals Of American organized labor, con-
ceived as 1t is in his words, "in de-
votion to the age-old cause Of liberty"
1t will be at least one Indictment of
Hitlerism which Herren 0oering, Goeb-
bells and the other Nazi overlords will
not be able to attribute to "interna-
tional Jewry" or depict to the duped
German public as development corre-
spondingly unworthy Of serious con-
siderAtiOn.