Oldal 2 [2]
ee E 38
that the main Communist successes were scored in industries with _
relatively highest wages, but also in the industries which had been |
nationalized and thus belong to the domain of the Socialist Party,
under the extreme left wing Minister of Nationalized Enterpeises
Waldbrunner, Thus the Communists were able to gain heavily and in =
some instances to achieve the majority in such vital industries as ae
Erzberg, Donawitz, Haliein ete, At the VOEST in Linz, the greatest
nationalized enterprise in the country, the Communist percentage SA
rose from 97 to 30% of the votes. In the electric works of as
Kaprun the Communists also rose heavily, In other words : the vie- sg
tories are grave and ominous, despite the attempts of the other par =
ties to "explain" things away. 3
While many reasons speak for these guecesses - - most .
" which we already pointed out - there is one grave reason which makes
‘today the nationalized enterprises a hotbed of Communism. These
enterprises, under Walébrunner, are run as the exclusive domaine
of the Socialist Party. As they are nationalized, Trade Union
leaders and officials have taken the places of the owners and enjoy
now the advantages of higher revenue and high remunerations. These
labour leaders are ali Socialist veterans, and being now rich and
happy, they use their position in order to eliminate everyone. else
from any better position, No one can hope for leniency or advance—
ment, unless he is in good terms with the bosses, In fact, the op¬
pression of the poor worker is today much greater than it ever was
in "capitalist" times. These newly rich labour leaders all belong
to the old ghard, men of fifty and more, They do not permit any
one outside their charmed circle to rise. But the workers below be—
gin to resent this situation, and thus the Communist vote in parts
at least is a protest against Socialist corruption in office.
‘But while this might call this vote a protest~vote and hence take
comfort from this situation, this is unfortunately not justified,
Because just now the membership numbers of the Communist Party have
been published, and they indicate a rise of 18.580 in the past
twelve months. a
5 By this fact the Austrian Communit party. thus has attained ae
a membership of 191.000 men and women - a Membership which does not
include the Communist Front Organizations such as the "Young Guard",
. the "Peace Council" the " League of Smallholders", the "National
. League", the “Socialist iabour Party", the “League of Jewish Unity"
etés The combined Membership of these fronts - which stretch all the
way from the SS Members of the National League to the most radical
and agressive Jewish elements of the League of Jewish Unity - is
between thrity and forty thousand, if we eliminate those who cumulate
their membership in Front groups with the Membership of the Raced
propers