The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-09-27
On the
World Front
DOUmergue's Fear -
of the United Front
What He Proposes
BY HARRY CANNES

much worried over the united
front Of the Socialist and
Communist Parties of France.
He made it the text of a
scathing radio speech last
Monday. Some very important is-
sues on the question of Fascism
were brought out by Doumergus
that merit the attention of every
worker.
Leading Socialists in GERMANY,
before the advent of Fascism. as
well as after, argued that the ac-
tlvity of the Communists caused thai
quickening of the Fascist develop-l
ment Dollfuss's slaughter in AusI
tria, where the Socialist Party had\
the support of the majority of the
working class, of course, effectively
knocked this idea in the head. Now
in France, Doumergue is attempts
ing to use the same idea, the fear
Of the united front of the working
class, as an excuse for advancing
fascist methods.
1t is true in the present deep, un-
dermining crisis of capitalism, when
the workers struggle for wage in
creases, for unemployment relief,
against the unloading of the burden
OF the crisis on their backs, it tends
still further to shake the whole sys-
TEN. Hence when genuine strug~
gle is undertaken for even the most
immediate needs and demands of
the workers, the capitalists, to save
their system, resort more and
more to Fascist methods. Since
the Communists are most energetic
in defending and fighting for the
interests of the workers, the charge
of being the cause of Fascism is
laid to them.
IN France, Doumergue, fearing the
4 united front of Socialists and
Communists, proposes out and out
steps toward Fascism. Doumergue
states that the united front has
shaken public confidence" made
credit stringent and caused the
boarding of money. The truth is
that the crisis in France which
crept on more slowly than else
where is now hitting with full force.
Doumergue's arguments are very
much like those of the bankers in
the United States during the bank
crash. They said Communists
caused the banking collapse.
But then Doumergue goes further
and says: Socialism and Commu-
nism are exactly the same thing"
That they are not exactly the same
thing is known to everyone, and was
expressly stated in the United
Front pact. What Doumergue sees,
however, is that a united fight on
specific issues, against fascism, war
and the decree laws somewhat like
our N. R. Al is bringing about an
intenSification of the revolutionary
struggles of the working class.
In short, the united front
against fascism, war and hunger
heightens the revolutionary strug-
giles of the working class in this
period of capitalist crisis. That is
the basic reason for the hesitation
and the obstacles thrown in the
way of the united front by the
Socialist leaders in the United
States. And it is precisely this
hesitation that strengthens the
fascist measures against the
working class such as the slaugh-
ter of textile workers, and the
Georgia concentration camps.
NOW how does Doumergue pro-
~ pose to meet the united front?
He urges the introduction of more
fascist elements into the national
concentration vernm emit of
France. Singularly enough these
measures follow quite closely the
Roosevelt program.
Doumergue asks for increased
executive powers for the Premier.
Roosevelt already has these powers.
He proposes, further, an authors
tative" cabinet. Sounds very much
like a transition to a Fascist cab
met. He next urges a definite fix
ing of the status of government em-
ployees following Roosevelt's wage
cuts for government employees).
The wages of the French govern
ment employees have been cut and
huge struggles against the slashes
have been going on. Doumergue
wants these stopped
Doumergue proposes an outright
fascist measure, one toward which
Roosevelt, Green and company are
already working in the United
States. This is the outlawing Of
strikes and other struggles of the
workers.
Taking a leaf from Hitler and
Roosevelt's programs, he then puts
forth the idea of national eco~
nomic council, and regional coun-
ellis, to carry out the offensive Of
capitalism against the French
workers.
| -
AND still the Socialist Party of the
II United States is waiting to see
how the united front works out in
France. Every day brings news Of
its effectiveness, of its threat to
the capitalists fascist program. At
the same time, the employers and
their government, aroused to
frenzy of fear over the spectre of
united working class, strive by
might and main to introduce new
fascist measures. They try to
threaten the workers with increased
terror in order to break the unity.
Will Mr.. Norman Thomas draw the
conclusion from this that the uni ed
front against fascism intensifies