Evening star., 1948-08-29

!
| S. They took every advantage oi
the fact that some leaders on the
right were all too willing to accept
help, no matter from what source
toward their own selfish objectives
Spokesman of Workingman
8. They took equal advantage OF
the fact that workers in Iceland
as in most countries, except per-
haps in Scandinavia, think of them
selves first and tend to overlook
the long-term interests of society
as unit.
7. They kept repeating. over and
over, that the Communists of Ice
land were the spokesmen of the
working class.
8. They endlessly attacked the
United States as imperialistic, dis
torted the story of the wartime
American occupation of Iceland, and
made a national crisis Of American
negotiations for the use of gigantic
Kef1avik Airield as 4 commercial
landing field and United States
Army way station to and from Ger
many.
Thus, the Communists gained in
huence until today they control
about two-thirds of the presen;
delegates to the Althydusamband
tthe Labor Federation) and. a few
weeks before the federation's bien-
nial election, they monopolize the
Executive Council.
They have captured Dagsbrun. the
largest union in Iceland, with 5000
members, mostly unskilled workers
in Reykjavik.
In the Dagsbrun capture, they
used the familiar Kremlin tactics
Of playing one opposition force
against another. Conservative CO.
operation, extended to the Commu-
njsts for expediency of the moment
turned the trick.
The reason they gained such con-
! .rol goes back to the basic facts
Of Icelandic politics:
Lack, of a majority party, a coali-
iion government that fears to take
a firm stand and thus get on q
limb, personal hostilities, and ali
electorate that by and large really
does not comprehend, or even know
the aims of world communism.
Thinks in Terms of Pay
To be sure, the average 1celandic
workingman still thinks little about
the aims of international commu.
nism.
He thinks Of getting more pay for
his work, and If the Communists
in Iceland get him more pay, well
then, he will support the Commu-
nists through the labor unions and
in the national elections.
/ He is not seriously concerned be-
cause Communists, In the past
decade, have gained dominance over
the Federation of Icelandic Trade
Unions.
/ This man, the average worker
helped to give the Communist Party
its 13,049 votes in the 1916 elections,
almost 1000 more than he and his
fellows gave it in 1912.
! The biggest right-wing party, the
Conservatives, got 26,428 votes in
1916; the Progressives Farmers
Party) got 1902, and the Social
Democrats, the workers nominal
party. polled only 1911.
Thus, the Communists landed 10
seats out of 50 in the Parliament.
They did have two seats in the
cabinet, but they walked out in pro-
test against the treaty granting the
United States many rights at ke-
( fiavik Airfield.
( Thus, the Communists and their
supporters have an important voice
in Parliament, especially since this
| is a coalition government without a
majority party in being or in pros
pect.
They dominate the Federation Of
Labor, although the Social Demo-
Gratis remain in control of certain
key unions, such as the seamans S
union
What, then, is being done about it
here? What is the counterattack?
Counterofensive Tried
As the party most weakened by
Communist maneuvers and raids
upon voting strength, the Social
Democrats, otherwise the Labor
Party, have formed a regional as
sociation.
1t Is an attempt at q counter
offensive against the Communist
infiltration into the labor federation
They hope to recapture the fedora.
ton from within, if possible.
/ If that fails at the Forthcoming
biennial conference, they might bolt
the federation and as last resort
form the nucleus for q new fedora
ton purged of Communist infiltra.
ton.
i 1t is development of the widest
significance, in other countries a
well as in Iceland.
How the Communists meet this
frontal attack upon their domina.
ton Of labor will make interesting
reading wherever men are unionizet
and wherever Communists ply theil
boring from within tactics.
/ There are many pitfalls In tn.
way of the Social Democrats.
| In country of such deep-rootec
individuals as Iceland, it is polit.
ically dangerous to venture far into
the waters of the crusade.
! And because such a crusade lack.
|, the advantages of a long-tern
educational campaign among thu
working class Ii starts with serio,,,