Montana labor news., 1949-02-24
Moral Rearmament-
Making Democracy
Effective in Germany
Bv TOM GILLESPIE

AlCVuVC Ill OCI lIl0IIy
BY TOM GILLESPIE
LONDON. England have just
talked with Tom Oswald. ne Of
Sootlands top organizers OF the
Transport aud General Workers
Union. on his return from Gcrmany.
after a series al conferences with
Ruhr trade union leaders and man
aeemcnt officials. and discussions
with shop stewards and Work Coun-
ellis. He went there by the Invitation
OF Heinrich Malina. secretary OF the
Ruhr Transport Workers. catching
him before he boarded his tram ior
Scotland. | gained much interesting
information on the economic on
ditions and the theological situa-
ton in Western Germany nov
1T i a race with time sad
Oswald. The theological struggle
in Europe ma, we'll he won in Ger
many ii Moral Armament j.
given the backing Ia work quickly
enough. tn, German people may be
the first To win A MAJOR theological
victory Tor democracy. and upset
the stratcg, and calculations oi the
mi,erialist forces" When | asked
Oswald ON what he based this state
mcn,. he replied tina, ii a due t'
the work OF the american Play The
Forgotten Factor. now being pre-.
sented i'll the German language by
a German cast. which has been seer
by thousands OF Ruhr workers. i
is interpreting democracy to then
IN home and industrial lile III Z
way that is unapproached by any
| other type OF propaganda, pubic
speeches or pamphlets
Living Conditions
"Malina told me- SAID Oswald
that although wages were increasc'
last July by Is per cent on the l9S
standard. their purchasing power
is only a quarter d what II was u
1899. The average hours worked !
week are AZ. The average IN industry
is one mark per hour.
Between 1889 and today. sugar
has risen IRON 50 to = pienWg'
per kilo tone kilo equals - lbs. }
butter from one mark 40 pienmgS L
two marks 50 picnnlgs coffee iron
three marks to % marks. brea'
from ~ ~piennlgs 10 one mark y
piennigs mems suits from ~ mark.
to 2S0 marks :"
Yet the greatest problem N Is
wald's opinion, is the sense OF iru,
{ tration which prevails amongst a
= sections Of the people. For instanc
: lack OF money makes II ditiicu
to pay workers to clear up the rul
Bile and get On with the job OF r.
; building. This has had a bad ctlct
J on the morale OF the people II
$ this sense Of Illustration leading I
bitterness. says Oswald, that pre-
: yides a fertile breeding ground io
: extremists doctrines.
I Ii was at this point that an ldt
olop, wa needed, and ~ the
search ior an answer, Mallna i"l
a Oswald. they we're finding rcncwc
faith and fresh hope in the ne
spirit being spread by. The foreo
d ten Factor. Malina himself ";
Ie. scheduled 10 be chief speaker tn
e night at the opening pcriorman'
OF the play at kreield. hcadquarie'
:. Of his own union, ltNl.FW traispo
workers.
Z Schools for Democratic framing
" .Alonp with other prominent lab
leaders. Wilhelm Regcrt, who ~
er been a member 81 the undcreroul
lg movement in Germany during !
n war. and /, now Inspector Of MIN
Is ior the Ruhr. appealed to Oswa'
I'd please come back and help rs
rs, early as you can. We must ha
ig training schools Tor people who wa
10 know how TO apply Moral i
81 Armament" Oswald said that wh'
as ever he went he got a wonder
OF ~reception AZ a trade unionist, a
he Vas urged To return With more
M his colleagues He felt that Y wol
,al be oi the greatest value i"r tra
N unionists to make these iricn
IL contacts with the German work
the and their leaders
Of But remember, warned o,~'
use chose who are sent out to tram
German workers mus, lirst be !
in their own lives It IS a pr
responsibility The German WORK
are tired oi everybody talking
mocrac, sand iew living y
let have been forced 10 test a M
late democracy BY watching II ne !
oil one thing and docs another