Montana labor news., 1936-08-20
The Nazltlca-
ton OF UanZIG

(from Foreign rollcy Reports, FOR
eien foney Assn, July 1, lY5o.l
Inc problem Oh Danzig oIters
a significant test OF Nazl poAcy con
corning GeImans OUTSIDE the keich.
The free City Oh Danzig was
detached from Germany by the YER
saiiiea treaty to PROVIDE an outlet TO
the sea tor the kepubnc OF Poland.
Pohsh government controls the ior
eign AFFAIRS. Otherwise Danzlg IS le-
gally a sell governing state, admins
Tered under a democratic constitution.
It's local government consists oil a pop
ularly elected assembly Nolkstag),
which chooses an executive body-tne
Senate-whose President is Premier OF
the free City.
Despite the efforts OF the League
the Free City mas become to all
intents and purposes a miniature Third
Reich since Hitler's accession to power
IN Germany.
Opposition parties in the Free City
representing more than ~ per cent
OF the population-continue to function
after a fashion, but W their precari-
Gus existence entirely to the vigilance
OF the League High Commissioners and
the Council.
Maj revolution was reflected in
Danzig by the vote for the VOLKSTAG'
on May q, 1888, when the Hitlerites
secured a majority but fell far short Of
the two-thirds necessary to amend the
Danzig constitution.
The Vice-P President OF the Senate,
Horr Greiser, stated in a public speech
that all police officials must be Nazis
and that there was no longer any room
in the Danzig civil service for mem
bers of other parties. Catholics and
Socialist newspapers were suspended
by the government on ground that their
reports OF Greiser's speech endangered
public order and security"
The election campaign april, 1855
was almost entirely a Nazi affair :.
Opposition papers were suppressed :.
The campaign slogans proclaimed that
There are only two fronts National
Socialists and Separatists." Nazis
polled 50 per cent OF the votes.
Shortly after the vote, the economic
difficulties became acute. On May
z, the Danzig gulden wa suddenly de-
valued by 42.37 per cent, and deyalu-
alton followed by a virtual currency
and tariff war between the Free City
and Poland.
The statute of the Bank of Danzig
forbade it to lend money to the gov
ernment, but the Nazis established a
City Bank (Stadtbank) through which
they managed to circumvent this diff
Guilty.
From the beginning of 1885, conf
dence began to recede, savings were
withdrawn and foreign currency
boarded.
THE Danzig opposition continued to
petition the league, charging violations
Of their right Of equality before the
law. Further petitions urged that
the general elections Of April 7, 1885,
should be declared invalid on the
ground that during the campaign there
had been fragrant infringements { the
electoral provisions of the constitution
through unlawful pressure on public
opinion and other serious procedural
irregularities. The petitions pointed
out that the Danzig Supreme Court it
self had established infractions Of this
character in Is rural districts and had
declared the election in these places in
valid.
when the League Council met in
Jan. 1896, it had before it not only The
opinion of the Permanent Court, but
also the annual report of 1885 Of its
High Commissioner in Danzig and the
Senate's report on the execution OF the
Councils September recommendations.
"Mr. Eden declared that it was
not possible to allow matters to con-
tinue in the name in which they have
been allowed to continue during recent
months
"The Leagues authority in Danzig,
which alone can force even a semblance
of constitutional rule in the miniature
Nazi state, in the last analysis depends
on the general prestige of the League.
That prestige was temporarily en-
HANGED by the Leagues relatively firm
stand toward an aggressive Italy and
its apparent determination to carry out
its obligations in Danzig. Since then,
Geneva's authority and prestige have
fallen to a low ebb.
1T is reported from Danzig that the
Nazi have introduced what amounts to
CONSUMPTION in the Free City. Youths
Of military age must report to their To-
cal police stations in Danzig and, after
proving that they are German Aryens'
and neither Poles nor "non-Aryan Ger
mans" are sent on to recruiting Of
f%icials. Those who are unwilling or in
eligible are apparently dropped from
the Nazi labor organizations and thus
experience grave difficulties in earning
a living. At the same time a growing
Nazi terror is once more reported from
the so-called Free City"