The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-01-31

Ing CLASS ana paved Lne way Tor Hitler
to come to power. The working class
can take power only when the
majority of the working class, the
decisive sections Of the working class,
are prepared for the revolutionary
struggle and accept revolutionary
leadership. The German social
democracy still exercised decisive
influence over the majority of the
German working class. The role of
the social democracy and of the trade
union bureaucrats in Germany was
decisive and predetermined the rise
OF Hitler to power. Hitler came to
power not only through the financial
assistance of the big capitalists of
Germany, but above all, through the
direct collaboration Of the social
democracy and the trade union bu-
reaucrats.
The question Is then raised-agree-
ing this is so, was it not necessary
that the Communist Party lead the
revolutionary section Of the German
working class in instruction, in
armed struggle against the rise Of fas-
cism even though they were in a
minority and even though the condi-
tons for a successful struggle were
not present? It is especially neces-
sary to give a clear and sharp an
swer to this question because it has
been raised even within the ranks of
the Communist Parties and even in
the leadership Of the German Com
munist Party itself. This tendency
within the German Communist Party
was represented by Remmele and
Neuman who came forward with the
thesis that although it was impossible
to take power, although defeat Of such
an attempt was predetermined by
the rule Of the social democracy and
the trade union buresucrats, and al
though all was lost, yet "honor" could
still Have been saved only by last
desperate armed struggle even though
it was predetermined to defeat.
This position, which in words sounds
very revolutionary, is of course poll
tically nothing but capitulation to the
Social Democracy. It is a complete
acceptance of the social democratic
understanding Of the significance of
the rise OF fascism and OF Hitler.
Along with it necessarily goes the
view that the victory Of Hitler in
augurates protracted period Of fas-
ciSt reaction and long time defeat of
the revolution. It is a point of view
which denies the possibility Of the de-
velopment Of the revolutionary forces
within Germany, for the mobilization
of the majority of the working class
to overthrow Hitler. It's political es-
sence is in no way to be distinguished
from the position Of the social demo-
cracy and the renegades, especially
the Tf0tskyites, that the rise of Hit
Ter opens new era of fascism.
First Of sill, this theory is based
upon a false analogy between Hitler
and Mussolini. between Germany and
Italy, and depends upon the COMPARE
son Of the 10 years Of fascist rule in
Italy with the perspective of Hitler
IN Germany. This analogy completely
ignores the different period in which
these events occur. Italian fascism
came TO power at the end of the first
postwar wave Of wars and revolu-
lions, at the beginning of the period
Of relative sterilization of capitalism.
italian faScism was maintained in
power not by the internal forces of
fascism so much as by the assistance
OF a stabilizing capitalist world around
ITALY. German fascisIn comes to
power in quite opposite circumstances.
1t rises at the end of capitalist Stabi-
hzation, at period when the CAPT.
taliSt world, far from being able to
give help toward stabilizing German
capitalism, Is itself in the deepest
crisis; Is itself divided in a thousand
sharpening conflicts and by which the
rise of fascisnl in Germany itself be-
comes a central point in deepening
all these conflicts and in the I'M
mediate development OF world war
situation. There are further, the in
neT problems of German economy
which are predetermined by this
world situation, the increasingly
catastrophe conditions of German
economy which are intensified by the
rise OF German fascism. Therefore,
only one who deliberately wishes to
mislead the working class can speak
Of the perspectives Of a long time de-
yelopment Of German fsscism.