UNDER THE NAZIS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 77, Issue 155, 3 July 1934, Page 9

UNDER THE NAZIS

HOW LABOUR IS FARING CREATION OF PEASANTS LAND AND PRICES. The creation of a prosperous and eon-I tented small peasant class, owning their, land and able to produce all or most of Germany’s foodstuffs, is one of the I foremost aims of the National Socialist I Party, says the Germany correspondent of the Manchester Guardian.” It is | enshrined in the party’s 25-point pro-j gramme, in which a law for confiscation of land without compensation was de-1 manded, a demand subsequently modi-, Tied into that for powers for compulsory | acquisition of land illegally acquired or j not administered in the public interest, i The farmer, it is considered, should 1 be the backbone of the nation, and by virtue of Nazi legislation he is secured i in his rights to the soil he owns and cultivates, and must not be deprived of it through the hazards of capitalism. Under the Hereditary Farm Property Act. which gives effect to Nazi ideas ou the’social side of agricultural policy, holdings are guaranteed against encumbrance, prevented from being split up, , and ’made the inalienable property of the owning family, passing to the farmer’s heir. The farmer can only be deprived of the management of his property in exceptional circumstances by the State, when it will be handed over, temporarily or permanently, to his heir. The law is not a land reform for the splitting up of big estates; it is concerned solely with preventing the smaller farmer from being dispossessed, and it is estimated that about 1,000,000 properties are affected by it. The law states, however, that one of its purposes is to obtain as large a number as possible of small and middle-sized farms. For One Family. The law applies to agricultural and forest holdings large enough to maintain a family but not exceeding 309 acres, which are to be registered accordingly. The hereditary farms property passes undivided to the direct heir, the farmer being able to choose him’from among his legal heirs. Legal heirs who do not succeed to the farm

preserve certain claims upon it, the intention of the law being to give them the right to sustenance from the farm if they fall upon bad times through no fault of their own. Under certain conditions, properties larger than 309 acres can also be made inalienable. Thus possibilities sem to exist for large estates encumbered by heavy debts to enjoy protection against seizure or subdivision under the Jaw. The price of fiscal protection for agriculture, which is complementary tp the social legislation for farmers, is extremely high. Germany is reclaiming waste land and setting up farms on poor soil in an endeavour to settle more people on the land and to increase agricultural productivity. The prices of many foodstuffs are far above world market prices, as a comparison between some Berlin retail prices and those given each month in the Manchester Guardian shows:— Germany. s. d. in. pf. Cheddar-type cheese .. 1 11 1 20 Butter (Danish) 2 7 I. 60 Bacon (breakfast) ... 2 10 1 80 Margarine 1 4 0 80 Lard— American («6pf.) About Is 3d. German (80pf.) ’ England. Per lb. s. d. Scotch cheddar . I) 10 Butter (Danish) 0 11 Bacon (best) 1 2 Margarine 0 7 American lard 0 4 The Labour Law. Through the introduction of the German Labour Law the Nazi Government

intends to bring about an era of perpetual peace in industry, in which “Leader” (Employer) and “Following” (Employed) each have their rights and their duties to one anther and co-operate for their own good, for the good of their economic undertaking, for the nation as a whole, and for the State. The Labour Law replaces the Factory Councils Law of the former regime and also the trade unions and the employers’ associations. The unit of organisatin is the individual business or firm, which has its “Leader,’’ who is assisted in the running of the business by a “Confidential Council” elected by the staff from i a list of candidates chosen jointly by the representative of the Nazi works I cell organisation and the “Leader.” I The “Leader” directs business affairs, I taking the executive decisions and I determining wage rates. The “ Conti-' dential Council” advises and acts in concert with the “Leader” on the in- | tcrnal organisation of the business, I working conditions, the settlement of internal disputes, and so on. A feature of the Labour Law is the Court of Honour, which is to be found in other institutions of the regime. It gives expression to the principle of the essential dignity of labour, which is so strong in Nazi social ideas, and also exercises a number of practical func-

tions of a judicial nature in protecting workmen and also employers against bad treatment in the one case and disloyalty in the other. The Key Men. But the key position in the new structure is held by the Trustees of Labour, officials appointed by the Government, responsible to the Government, and in close touch wifi it. The Labour Trustees have wide powers, including that of an apellate court over the fixing of wage rates and the authority to make decisions in cases of differences between “Leader’’ and “Following.” They can also put a check upon the dismissal of employees and prescribe the period of notice for this purpose, though these matters arc already being negotiated and laid down in fixed agreements in the various industries. They are in short, mandatories of the Government with extensive executive and supervisory authorities. It appears that upon the Trustees of Labour as the instruments of the Government will depend whether the future development of industrial relations will tend to favour workpeople or employers. Out of a group of six trustees recently appointed one is a former organiser of the Nazi trade union cells, another was formerly head of a Rhineland foundry, the third a higher employee of the Dye Trust, the fourth an ex-admiral and free-corps leader, the fifth a former workman and Nazi factory cells organiser, and the sixth an official of an employers’ federation. A National Socialist would probably argue that the problem of which way the balance is to fall does not arise, since there is a community of interest between “Leader” and ‘•Following.” and, like so much else in Nazi institutions, it is the “new spirit” and the “will.” and not the text of a charter that is a decisive factor. Under the law workers are to have annual paid holidays, and the amenities of the | Labour Front include country holidays I and sea trips.