The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-03-24
Could the Fascist Dictatorship in
Germany Haze Been AUerted?

But, comrades, did the social democratic
masses really have to go through the hell of
fascism in order to come closer to proletarian
revolution? Did the path of the German revo-
luton really lie only through fascist dictator
ship and was it not possible to avert this die
tatorship in Germany?
Of course, it was possible, comrades. The
sole condition for this was that social democ-
racy should not have hindered the setting up
of the united front of the working class which
it had split, that it should have employed
against the fascist organizations that degree of
violence which it used against revolutionary
workers. This it could have done quite blood
lessly under the Mueller government in 1928.
For this it would not have had to kill 10000
fascists as it killed 10000 revolutionary sailors
and soldiers by the hands of Noske; it would
not even have had to shoot 33 men as was done
with the Berlin workers by the police president
zoergiebel on May l. 1929 1t would have been
enough for it to arrest 80 fascist leaders to-
gether with two or three of the big capitalists
who have supplied the fascists with funds, to
dissolve the fascist organizations and their
storm troops, to conf1scate their arms, to seize
their funds to close down the fascist press, to
create regime for the fascists such as they
have now created for the social-democratic
workers. not to mention the Communists And
these measures would have had the support of
the German Communist Party and the millions
of workers who follow it. The German Com
munist Party under these circumstances, would
have only reserved for itself the right to critcise
the vacllations and inconsistencies of social
democracy, likewise insisting on the dissolution
of the Reichswehr, the arming of the workers
for defence against fascist bands and for ex-
tending the gains of the working class.
Social democracy could have blocked the way
to fascism even under the Bruening government
in 1902, for it had at its disposal five million
trade union members and it had the State APP
paretus of Prussia in it's hands After all it
was the members of the social democratic party
who manned the police tanks and armored cars;
the Berlin police was recruited from among
democratic elements by Grzezinsk and Sever
ing If the Communists had had at their dis
posal one-tenth or one twentieth part of these
arms which we're in the hands of the Prussian
social democratic government there would be
no fascism in Germany today. (Applause).
Social democracy could also have spoiled the
plans of the fascists under the Papen-Schleicher
government though with a greater expenditure
of forces than under the Mueller government,
by offering resistance, after July 20, to the dis
solution of the Prussan social-democratic gov
eminent and by putting the million members
of the Reichsbanner organization into the field.
1t could have prevented Hitler from coming
to power by accepting on the eve Of his adj
vent to power the proposal made by the Com
munist Party of Germany for united front
of struggle in January, 1888; it could have
overthrown the fascists after their advent to
power by accepting the propoal of the Com
intern of March 5, 1885, for common strug-
gle against fascism In November 1882 the
social democrats and the Communists together
had upwards of 100000 votes against the
100000 votes collected by the fascists. The
influence Of Hitler was already on the wane in
the autumn of 1882; during three months
from July 81 10 November 8, 1932-the fascists