Socialist Action in Germany

Maoriland Worker, Volume 12, Issue 295, 25 October 1922, Page 14

Socialist Action in Germany

At the beginning of August when the mark stood at abou£ 10,000 to the £, the Gorman Federation of Tirades Unions addressed a telegram to the British Trades Union Congress, statiug that the fall of the mark signified tho economic collapse of Germany and the beginning of economic chaos, the consequences of which will be incalculable to all countries while for Britain it meant increased unemployment. The ' telegram concluded: "Salvation is still possible, but only ou condition of immediate intervention by the Trade Union Congress." The German Socialists and Trades Union injade the following demands on the Government m connection with the crisis: Seizure and distribution of food, clothes, and shoes; Fixing of a compulsory rate for tlie mark-and of maximum, pr-ces; Government control of export trade; Imediate prohibition of sweets and "fancy" articles; Prohibition on the distilling- of spirits j Limitation on beer supplies and an import prohibition on wiuew. At ja meeting of the Economic Committee of -the Reichstag a Socialist deputy, a medical man, charged the Government with taking too lightly the question of underfeeding. H«? Deferred in strong terms to the evidence given by the recent outbreak of scurvy, which is entirely due to lack of proper food, and asserted that the present food'crisis is much worse than that of the ye,ar 1.917. The Goveranvsnt, howtever seems inclined to sympathise with the farmers, who are out for bigger prices.

The executives of the two Socialist Parties held a meeting in August to discuss the preliminaries of unification, and decided to draw up a common programme for tho general meetings of the two Parties. The first combined meeting of executives went; off very smoothly, and as cabled the fusion of these Parties was ultimately brought about.

The result of a week's recruiting campaign, in August, of the Social Democrat Party in Saxony was an accession of over 15,000 new members.