The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-08-18
On the
World Front
BY HARRY CANNES
Hindenburg's Will
Thanks to Socialist Leaders
Only Step by Step -
Rv HARRY CANNES.

last VIII ana testament. WnaC
we want to write about and
emphasize is the revelations
of this old corrupt ally of the
Socialist leaders of Germany re-
garding his protection of the Wei
mar constitution, of capitalist
democracy"
To the very last, the German So
cialist leaders tried to retain the
illuSory division between Won Hin
denberg and Hitler. Even today
they believe that if the Hitler boil
we're lanced, the healthy organisiniI
of German capitalist democracy,
would cleanse itself, and history;
could be hurled backwards instead
of forward. For example, the il
legal socialist paper, Socialistische
Aktion, on July % declared:
Hitler has preached murder.
He bears the chief guilt.
Hitler is the enemy"
MOULD matters change if Hitler
w croaked or was croaked? Is it
a question of the individual, Hit
Ter? Or is it the class behind Hit
Ter, the finance capitalists and the
rich landowners? Read linden
bergs will and he reveals that his
aims were always the same as the
bloodiest fascist murderer. Hitler is
the symbol, the personification of
the brutal, savage, murderous die
tatorship of German capitalism; but
he is not the chief enemy. The
chief enemy is German capitalism,
which must be destroyed for the
revolution of the German toilers to
triumph, for tyranny to be ended
and socialism built in Germany
Even now the Socialist leaders
want to mislead the German toll
ers, want to direct their fire and
hatred against an individual instead
of against the whole rotten class
that stands behind him.
DUI let us see what Hlndenburg
u has to say his aims were in the
Office of president where he was
placed with the help of the Social
ist leaders of Germany.
1t must be remembered that the
Socialist leaders urged the German
workers to vote for Hindenburg as
the protector of democracy" as the
enemy of Hitler. They were Hin
denburg's shock troops against the
Communist candidate Ernst Thael-
mann. Thaelmann now rots in the
living tomb of Nazi prison, from
whence he can be saved only by
the world pressure of the toiling
masses.
II was aware" the old fossil
Hindenburg wrote, that the
basic law of the State (the Wei
mar constitution and the form
of government that the nation
gave itself in the hour of great
distress and internal weakness
did not correspond with the real
needs and characteristics of our
people.
The hour was yet to ripen
when this knowledge became pub
lie property. Therefore it seemed
to be my duty to lead the coun-
try through the valley of out
ward oppression and humiliation,
internal distress and self flagella-
ton without endangering its ex-
istence until this hour dawned."
in other words, this lesser evil"
of the Socialist officialdom was
waiting for the first opportunity to
trample the Weimar constitution
into the garbage can and establish
the open, brutal dictatorship of his
class. This was the sole reason for
taking office, and in this he was
nobly assisted by the Socialist lead
erS, who told the workers that Hin
denburg's only purpose in assum-
ing the presidency was to protect
the comedy of democracy" he had
sworn to destroy as quickly as con-
ditions matured.
LIE even tells how he did it with
III out arousing the revolutionary
resistance of the proclamation
which again, thanks to the Social
list leaders.
Only step by step, therefore,
without provoking an overpower-
ing opposition, the shackIes that
fettered us could be Ioosened."
Here is a great lesson on how
the Socialist leaders protect the
democratic" rights of the working
class. They support Hindenburg,
or a Roosevelt, Cor his NRA and
other deeds or a LaGuardia to
guarantee the democratic" rights
of the workers, when persistently
and consistently these good agents
OF capitalism step by STEP" with
out provoking an overpowering OPP
position tear to shreds the filthy
rag of democracy" that covers
their naked dictatorship under
Meath.
| UINDENBURG, posthumously a.
II pologizes to some of his finance
capitalist and junker followers who
did not at the time understand his
acceptance Of Socialist cooperation.
If many of my old comrades
he speaks from the grave, "at that
time could not understand the
necessity of this course, history will
judge more justly how bitter, but
also how essential in the interest
OF the maintenance of German life,
many of these measures signed by
me have been"
His greatest joy before his death
was to have seen the victory Of
| faecienn (of which accordipo ~ tha