Oldal 2 [2]
OCR
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 oppression 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
