ibondent learned to- iment, signed by Dr. on behalf of the Mirection of the Pol- sization,’ was drawn jal meeting of Nazi » Munich summoned d by Hitler himself. 'reular Letter No. 6- -cument was sent to 'rs. One of those at- meeting was Fritz Hex to become Reich 4 Manpower. Like Dr. (j is one of the top 24 will be tried at Nur- fF out directions con- ‘he circular, SA and fn May 2 seized trade Ps all_over Germany rted - leaders. hirgets of the raids, in the circular, were = German Trade Union gon (NGB) and the slependent Employees fon (AFA). The GTUF Biliates, and the AFA iliates, between them ;9,000,000 members at f: the raids. union fof General German sration leaders seized eclin raid—which was ' Ley himself — are and have important > give at the trials. ling how 500 heavily ‘men, headed by Ley, iz : their offices in Ber- oy 2, they can detail + following months and dreds of union leaders med and killed in con- camps. the German union lead- by the Nazis, the evi- WS, were Fritz Huse- iy. of the Miners Union; €l of the Inland Navi- Drkers, assassinated in : Wilhelm lLeuschner, of the ADGB, killed on 944, along with Oswald DGB district, secretary : Fritz Voight, ADGB Breslau, and ADGB dent Leudemann. ie © as March, 1945, the Shows, 250 union lea- re gassed and burned H in the Sachsenhausen ‘nong them the Berlin i War Crimina il Exposes Order ‘Suppress Unions By ANTHONY JENKINSON BS__One of the most important pieces of evidence 1} top Nazi war criminals shortly to go on trial at i. is the original document, issued on April 21, ‘ring the suppression of the German trade unions, railwaymen’s leader Lorenz ‘Braeunig. Also to he cited as confirma- tion of Nazi crimes against union leaders is the following statement by Dr. Ley, made at the 1937 Party Congress and quoted by the Voelkischer Beob- achter of Sept. 12, 1987: “Onee I said to the Fuehrer: My Fuehrer, actually I standing daily with one foot in jail, for today I am _ still the trustee of the comrades Leipart (Theodore Leipart, secretary of the ADGB) and Imbusch (Hein- rich Imbush, head of the Christ- ian Trade Union Federation) and should they demand me to re- turn their property, then it will be found that I have either. mis- am -managed it. or spent it. (But they shall never again find it in the condition in which they handed it over to me. Therefore I would have to be convicted.’ Then the Fuehrer laughed and remarked that apparently I felt extremely well in this condition.” As part of their tactic of splitting the the Nazis seized what they called the “Marxist-Jewish”’ German labor movement, . first unions, say- ing at the same time—jin a “Proclamation for the Protec- tion of German Labor” dated May 2, 1933—that “we do not want to disrupt and destroy the unions.” On June 24, 1933, however, on an order from Dr. Ley, the properties and offi- cials of the Christian Trade Union Federation were also seized. The CTUF at that time ‘had a membership of about 1,- 000,000. | The text of “Circular Letter No. 6-33” follows: “Munich, 21 April, 1933. “On Tuesday, May 2, 1933, the political coordination of the free trade unions begins. “The direction of the entire ac- tion lies in the hands of the Ac- tion Committee. The Action Com- mittee is composed of Dr. Robert Ley, chairman .. .- etc. “The essential], part of the ac- tion is to be directed against. the German General Trade Union Confederation (ADGB) and the General Independent Employees Confederation (AFA). Aything beyond that which is dependent upon the Auto Workers In “keeping in touch with the Trade Union movement of Canada, the CCF members of the house may continue to work effectively Federal Department of Labor act immediately to-correct the _rather a waste of time to ask a Department of Government that CCF Le To Dock & Ship Union Angus MacInnis has recently been appointed CCF Trade Union Leader, with the object of, according to David Lewis, channeling their problems and their political needs in order that on their behalf.” The first crisis facing the labor movement following this appointment amply demonstrates the real role of MacInnis. Every trade unionist realises that the struggle of the Ford strikers is the frontline of the battle of all labor today. The attack of the auto barons is the spearhead of the attempt to smash the trade union movement in the general attack on the living standards. and security of the people of Canada. A move- ment embracing the whole trade union movement from coast to coast has united in support of the Ford strikers. Labor councils, AFL and CCL, local unions, AFL and CCL, are rallying to ensure victory for the strikers. The movement has extended beyond the ranks of organised labor, drawing in mayors and civic officials, ministers, veterans organizations, etc. The whole progressive movement is presenting a solid front. What was Angus MacInnis’ attitude toward this struggle? Read it. Read the story ofsthe smashing of the German Trade union movement on this page. August 15, 1945 Mr. W. J. Robson, Pres., Dock and Shipyard, Workers’ Vancouver, B.C. Dear Sir: ; This will acknowledge receipt of your letter of July 11, in which was enclosed a resolution passed at a meeting of Local No. 2, Dock and Shipyard Workers’ Union demanding that the Union, anti-union attitude of the Ford Motor Car Company, Windsor, Ontario. Z “. My first comment on this resolution is that it seems to me is anti-union itself to correct the anti-union attitude of a pri- vate corporation. My second comment is that, in my cpinion, what the members of the United Automobile Workers at Windsor need is new leaders. Leaders who know what ‘the labor movement is about. Leaders who will not for narrow parti- san motives support the avowed enemies of organized labor. Labor leaders who support Mitehell Hepburn and his anti- union capitalist backers; labor Jeaders who have so soon forgotten the role played by Mitchell Hepburn in the Oshawa and Kirkland Lake strikes can only lead the workers to disaster. ; The political party of which I am a member, the Coopera- tive Commonwealth Federation have, both in and out of Parlia- ment, advocated national and compulsory collective bargaining legislation, union security and the outlawing of company unions. We also advocate minimum wages to give the worker a larger share of the fruits of his labor; equal pay for equal work, and equality of treatment for men and women workers. _ These are some of the things I shall work for in the critical days ahead. In the position which I hold from the workers in the riding I represent, I shall advocate them in the interest of all workers. I do not expect much assistance from the present Minister of Labor or from any other person who would hold the office in a government led by W. L. Mackenzie King. Neither do I expect any assistance from the now self-confessed confusers of labor’s aims. Yours truly, ANGUS MacINNIS. The whole trade union movement should protest this slan- derous and treacherous attack. on the Ford auto workers. This attempt to split the ranks of labor as they entered their most crucial struggle must be exposed and repudiated by every local and labor council: . . The trade union movement must give a sharp rebuke to this irresponsible sabotage of the workers’ struggle for trade union rights, higher wages and working conditions. ; This action is the logical consequence of the narrow partisan outlook of the CCF leadership. ; - Trade unionists have an opportunity to repudiate such policies on October 25. Vote against the anti-unity disruptive policies of the CCF. Vote for the party that defends and fights for Labor Unity, the Labor-Progressive Party. used for the occupation of trade union properties and for taking into protective custody those in- dividuals who come into ques- tion. free trade union, is left to the direction of the Gauleiter’s judgment. “The Gauleiters are respon- sible for the execution of the po- litical coordination action in the jndividual areas. Supporters of the action are to be members of the National Socialist Factory “The Gauleiter is to direct his measures on a basis of the clos- est understanding with compe- tent regional factory cell direc- tors. conducted by the Action Com- mittee itself. “In the Reich will be occupied: the following “The national offices of the unions; trade union houses and offices of the free trade unions; party houses of the Social-Dem- ocratic party of Germany inso- far as trade unions are involved there; branches and disbursing offices (Zahlungstellen) of the Bank for Workers, Employees and Officials; district commit- tees of the General German Trade Union Confederation (ADGB) and of the General In- dependent Employees Confedera- tion (AFA); committee locali- ties of the ADGB and AFA. “The following are to be ta- ken into protective custody: “All trade chairmen; the district secretaries and the branch directors of the Bank for Workers, Employees and Offi- cials. union “The chairmen of local com- mittees as well as the employees of unions are not to be taken in- to protective custody, but are to be urged to continue their work. “Exceptions are granted only with the premission of the Gau- leiter. “The seizure of the free trade unions must proceed in such a fashion that the work- ers and employees will not feel that this -action is against them, but on the contrary is an action against an average sys- tem which is not directed in conformity with the interests of the German nation. “The provisional local direc- tion of the ADGB and of the AFA will be assumed by a com- missar of the National Socialist Factory Cells Organization (NSOB). Relationships with the authorities and other organiza- tions will be handled by the new commissars. “All treasuries and accounts of the independent unions are to be impounded immediately, and remain thus until Thurs- day afternoon 1800h. Insofar as incumbent cashiers are per- mitted to remain in office, they will be subject to the au- thority of the commissar. All payment receipts must be countersigned by a commisar. “Upon lifting the freezing of funds the usual payments for the support of persons, etec., must be unconditionally assured so as not to create the feeling of uneasiness among the mem- ber of the trade union. “As soon as possible mass meetings are to be arranged for the free attendamce by all trade union. members. In these meetings the meaning of the action is to be described and it will be explained that the rights of the workers and em- ployees are being unequivo- cally guaranteed .. .- “Tt is to be understood that this action will proceed in a strongly disciplined fashion. The Gauleiters are responsible for this: they are to hold the direction of the action firmly in hand. Cell Organization. “SA as well as SS are to be “The action in Berlin will be “HEIL HITLER! “(Signed): Dr. Robert Ley.”