The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1934-02-14

democratic leaders bearing their fruit IN the
shrieking howitzers Of the fascist saughterers.
But the Austrian workers had drawn lesson from
the German events, lesson that every worker must
learn They chose to die lighting the barbados
rather than to be tortured in the fascist concentration
camps.
It was only when the lower ranks began to fight,
when IN Linz the Communist and Socialist workers
entered into the struggle without waiting for official
approval, that the left" demagogic leaders Of the
Austrian social-DemOcracy gave lip service to the
struggle.
The workers were left Ieaderless They were IN
organized Yet despite their weaknesses despite the
berayas long chain Of systematic betrayals by the
left socaldemocratic leaders, despite the fact that
their backs were against the wall they put up most
magnificent and heroic struggle. They brayed the
heihsh fury OF fascism to carry forward the banner Of
proletarian revolution
TOR every worker, in every land, the outstanding
lesson must be that in order to fight fascism it
is necessary to fight socialfascism the socialist lead
ership the prop Of capitalist reaction.
One need only glance at capitalist reports, sympa-
thetc to the sociademocratic leaders to how the
betTaya Of these swine played into the hands Of the
fascsts.
at the last moment a general strike was
called by the Socialists 1eaders) = writes the New
York Times correspondent, Frederick T. BirchaH.
THE general strike call came too late .
A year ago the summons would have brought
quarter of a million workers into the streets lin
Vienna aIone) eager to meet their foes, but dis
Couragement followed encouragement, and lead
eFship is lacking. Socialism has again missed
the boat"
No the socialist leaders did not miss the boat They
tied shackled and hamstrung the working class choos
ing the time most convenient and preferable to the
fascist scourge for the fight When there was moth
ing else to do they permitted" the workers to
tinue and attempt to seize victory against mountain
GUS odds.
yet il was not for want of warning" says
this capitalist correspondent, Tor without
tainty of what to come. Some weeks ago
one of the Socialist leaders made a last attempt
to negotiate with the Chancellor (DOIlfuss)
To almost the very day Of the holocaust the Soci-
aist leaders unanswered with the murderers Of the
workers They sought their support in the ranks Of
the capitalist exploers, among the very group which
is raking the streets of Vienna, Steyr Graz, Linz,
with deadly fire and gas.
In Austria in 1918, soytets were established. The
workers we're armed Every factor was in favor Of
the workers Selling power, establishing the Dictator
ship of the ProetaTiat and ending capitalism forever
The democratic leaders diSarmed the workers.
They drove them back into the clutches Of capitalism,
They performed yeoman service for Austrian capital
ism in particular and world capitalism in general
The social-democrats openly preach the course OF
Veerg GnG WORKERS bLlG pdtll VI I6FOlutAo'AJ
struggles Their policy has been one of preaching
the possibility of the peaceful" transformation into
socialism the inviosbty, the sanctity OF capitalist
democracy Their actions from day to day, prohibiting
and preventing strikes rayng to the support Of one
group of capitalists against the other demorazed
the workers split their ranks kept them from prepare
lions from the victorious armed offensive They sowed
passivity into the ranks.
nUT the workers answered with armed strug-
ID giles. All honor to the Austrian working class!
Their deeds are already of the most glitter
ing and heroic pages of working class daring, Of
revolutionary determination ana struggle.
The revolutionary upsurge of the Austrian prole-
tarat coupled with the gigantic political strike
of the French workers against fascism will stimulate
the revolutionary struggles against fascism through
out all of Europe throughout the entire world
The burning lesson which stands out is the neces-
itv of the rlnest united front of the entire working
class over the heads of its reacherOus socialist lead
ers and trade union grating rotten bureaucracy fo
militant revolutionary struggle against tascism ana
for the overthrow Of capitalism
The Austrian and French struggles show that the
workers are following the road advocated by the Com
munis International the road of mass revolutionary
strikes and struggles the path of the armed uprising
against the fascist pest the road Of the united front
of the whole working class in mighty offensive against
the capitalist brutal dictatorship
The workers are taking this path of revolutionary
struggle despite the dsembowling sabotage the venia
treachery of the social-democratic leaders.
These events will go further to stimulate these
developments throughout Europe.
The effect Of the Austrian and French events will
be to draw to the sharpest edge the class conflicts in
every country They will intensvey sharpen the whole
political situation in Europe, and throw the whole
working class more intensely and determinedy intC
the struggle against rising reaction.
The sharpened class antagonisms, no longer con-
fined within the flimsy drapery of democratic trim
mngs, will tremendously spur the move towards war.
Austria is becoming the burning brand lighting the
way Of revolutionary struggles.
Minister Berenger of France has already proposed
the mobilization of the French iperalist troops for
support to Dofuss for the seizure Of Austria, for wal
against the Austrian proletariat Hitler is preparing
for the seizure of Austria by italian fascism
ready for the plunge
The fascist pest will attempt to use Austria as it
first step in impe-iast war, for the redivsiol
of the world among the imperiast powers for step
ping stone to an attack on the Soviet Union.
The example Of united front actions of Socialist