Evening star., 1937-02-04
European Strike Technique
"Sit-Down" Plan Has Been Step to Either Com.
munism or Fascsm

Such an account would say that this
technique began in Russia. There,
in 1917, the first outbreak Of revolution
took, on the economic side, the form
Of workers asserting ownership Of
factories. Owners and managers were
elected and the factories we're operated
by the workers under the direction Of
leaders chosen by election.
Caused Italian Chaos.
When this succeeded in Russia, the
leaders Of the revolution there con-
Quoted propaganda inciting the same
thing in other nations. In Italy, as
Frey points out, the Russian tactic
was attempted. 1t did not, however,
become sufficiently widespread to over
throw the old. order. 1t did, however,
lead to partial paralysis and chaos.
1t was in this condition that Mussolini
emerged with fascism. which was de-
signed as an offset and antidote to
communism. Fascism preserved the
principle Of private property. In the
struggle, fascism prevailed and became
the form Of society and government.
The same sequence occurred in
Germany some years later. An at
tempt was made at communism, and
Hitler came forward with a counter
movement in the form OF naziism,
which rests on the same philosophy
as fascism.
This is the pattern that events
have followed in practically all the
European countries in which new
orders Of society have arisen. At first
an attempt is made to set up COM
muniSm. II the attempt at communism
Is driven forward with sufficient force
and speed, and il there Is no organized
resistance. the attempt succeeds and
communism is set up, as in Russia.
Where the attempt at communism
does not succeed quickly, opposition
arises, is organized and grows. The
opposition takes the form OF fascism.
Success Would Open Peril.
The sit-down strike in Michigan
did not avow communism or socialism
as its object and communism or
socialism in its final form may nave
been consciously in the minds of only
a few Of the leaders. But II the at
tempt in Michigan had succeeded,
attempts to initiate 1t would have
been made throughout the country.
Somewhere, sooner or later. property
owning and property-respecting classes
would see how far the sit-down
strike leads toward negation of the
principle Of private ownership. At
that point. the property-owning
classes. large and small. would have
organized and set-up counter move
ment. The counter movement would
take the form of some kind Of Ameri-
can variation of fascism.
At that point America would be
involved in the same type of struggle
that took place in Italy and Germany.
The struggle here would be. as in
Europe between. on the one hand, the
ideal of communism or socialism, and,
on the other hand, the ideal Of
fascism.
In such a struggle, or father before
such a struggle gets under way, the
duty Of protecting and preserving the
existing regime rests on the persons
occupying the official posts of author
ity and responsibility. in the county.
the State and the Nation. Their OBJ
legation should be to see that neither
of the two innovations gets a foot
hold. In the situation In Michigan.
as it stands at this writing, the county
court has stood up to its obligation.
(Copyright. 1872