Evening star., 1938-10-02

PflVaCe lie mas ceased TO exist IN Germany,
everybody must live for the state.
In Germany there's only one route along
which to march and that is the route
OF Adolf Hitler" Ley has told workers
To insure more or less that every worker
does follow the route-in other words, that
he conforms to Nazi standards-the Labor
Front requires that he possess workers
pass which is requisite for holding a job
The little brown book details his complete
record-character, previous employment
so that the government has a close tab on
him.
Realizing that their strength lies in the
laborng class, the Nazs try TO keep workers
restful by sweetening their lives as mucn
as possible as the price for their freedom
especially so in view of the prevailing low
wage.
Plenty OF vacation with pay is one anti
dote. Besides the regular annual vacations
workers may enjoy holidays such as Christ.
mas, New Year, Easter and Whitsunday
with pay-a law which means an increase
OF / y per cent to 2 per cent in the indi-
yidual workers annual income
Nazi officials seize opportunities such as
Benito Mussolini's state visit. for instance.
decree. one day was set aside as an Official
holiday during his visit in Berlin and
Munich and employers were ordered to pay
full wages.
4S-Hour Week Predominates.
Vacation schedules. based on the number
Of years man is employed, wage scales
setting minimum pay are adjusted accord
ing to the various groups of trades, indus
tries and vocations within the Labor Front.
A 48-hour work week is normal
Old age, health and unemployment in
surance for workers long has been feature
obligatory up to the wage classification of
800 marks (s240) a month whereafter they
become matter Of personal choice.
The Nazis incorporated the insurance
scheme introduced by the Iron Chancel-
lor,' Otto Won Bismarck, into their own
social policy, but decided to subsidize the
plan by pouring 5OOooo,Ooo marks $780,
0oo,ooo) annually into the fund as security
against possible future depressions, in1a-
tionary periods or other economic disturb
ances.
The worker contributes to the social Sc
curity plan according to his monthly earn
ings. The Labor Front reported paying out
1913 900 900 marks (more than sl30, 900 000)
since 1888 for death benefits unemploy-
ment sickness, disablement, marriage aid
and other emergency support.
Suborganization of the Labor Front is
Kraft Durch Freude' strength Through
joy, the pride of 48-year-old Organizer
Ley. which brings travel, at home and
abroad, opera, theater, sports, art and Ian
guages in evening courses to the worker at
exceptionally low rates.
Substitutes Partly for Pay.
In way it substitutes for higher wages
which would enable the worker to obtain
these pleasures through a normal manner
Sixty to eighty marks, for example. will
enable an arbeitsfront man to travel within
Germany, say from Bavaria to the North
Sea. for a two-weeks holiday. The price
includes lodging. For 80 pfennigs he may
enjoy the highest class entertainers. Or
he may take vacation cruise on modern
kraft durch freude' ships to Norway or
Madeira. He must travel naturally, with
large groups, which alone make the price
possible.
Through its beauty Of work" depart
ment, the kraft durch freude" organiza-
ton constantly endeavors to improve plant
working conditions by good lighting. clean
illness and orderliness, attractive surround
ings and the like. At the end of last
Iey revealed hot e0n a~t,-
(s24o ,00o,000) had been spent in this work
In Germany today the employer and the
government cooperate to give the worker
material comforts-his vacations his social
assurances, his pleasures improved factory
conditions-but his freedom has vanished
into thin air. He has become plant cog
in the Nazi machine.