Der Fuehrer - Hitler's Rise to Power (1944) - Heiden

THE RACE WITH CATASTROPHE 503Schleicher's government, said a party proclamation of December 5, wasa 'one-sided government representing that capitalist economic systemthe failure of which has become more apparent from day to day.' Nostatement could have been more ill-advised. But 'only on the basis ofthis line,' said Breitscheid, 'can we attempt with any hope of success torevive the democratic will of the working masses that have succumbedto all the talk of dictatorship [on the part of Communists].' But theunions, representing a far larger, less political mass than the party, tookno part in the opposition. Seventy years before, Ferdinand Lassalle, thefounder of the German labor movement, had explained in acorrespondence with Bismarck 'that the working class is instinctivelyinclined toward dictatorship if it can only be convinced that it isexercised in its interests.' Now nearly all the leaders of the trade unionsbelieved, secretly or even openly, that Schleicher's 'dictatorship' wouldbe exercised in the interests of the workers. Schleicher 'has turnedsuccessfully back to the people,' said Jakob Kaiser, one of the leaders ofthe Catholic workers in the Rhineland; 'the assault of reaction has beendefeated,' and 'a wave of calm, conciliatory expectancy lies over theworking class.' An article in the Social Democratic press, inspired bythe trade-union leadership, demanded: 'Allow Schleicher to work! Evenan adjournment of the Reichstag ... no longer frightens us.' And Leipart,despite all the anger of the Social Democratic leaders, stuck to hisopinion: 'The one and only thing that we need now is a productivepolicy, resolute action to improve the situation of the German workers.''Schleicher,' he said, 'is attempting to fulfill a part of our demands. Thisgovernment will not bring us socialism, we are well aware of that. Butcan we, in this situation, reject the government's call to help in the taskof providing employment?'Gregor Strasser believed that the hour for his great positive contributionto Germany had come. In case Hitler did not comply,Schleicher said he would see to it that the big industrialists gave Hitlerno more money. In those days Strasser may well have had the feelingthat he had unexpectedly become the Leader of Germany, for he seemedon the point of becoming the leader of the German working class.