Himself a non-Jew, Dr. Max Winter, Socialist refugee from the Austrian Fascist Government, doesn’t care a hang what the race, religion, or nationality of a man be.
“If he is honest with himself, if he is true to his comrades, and if he has the interests of the common people at heart–that is all I wish to ask of any man,” he said.
WORLD SOCIALIST VICTORY
“The Austrian Heimwehr and, indeed, the armies of all the nations of the earth can not quench the Socialist spirit,” he remarked. “I remember twenty-five years ago, my old friend, Jack London, appeared surprised that there were twenty-five million Socialists in the world. In the last twenty-five years we have expanded and developed, and now we have three hundred million Socialists in the world.” His reckoning included, he pointed out, the Russian population.
Asked about the future of the Austrian Jews, Dr. Winter replied, “Unlike the prophets of the Old Testament, I can not foretell the future. For accurate prediction regarding the Jews and world politics, I can only refer you to the Bible.”
Dr. Winter said that the Socialist party welcomed the allegiance of Austrian Jews. “When one joins the Socialist Party,” said he, “we do not ask about his religion or his race. Catholics, Protestants, and Jews are acceptable. If Mohammedans or Buddhists care to join with us, they too are quite welcome. Our requirement is that they be prepared to defend the rights of the proletariat.”
In his discourse on the future of the Austrians, generally, and particularly the Austrian Jews, Dr. Winter declared that regardless of the present status of affairs in Austria, Socialism eventually will replace any form of government that might be set up.
“It may require ten days, or ten weeks, or ten years,” he said. “But eventually Austria will have a Socialist form of government. No man and no government can deny for long the expressed demands of the people being governed.
“In the last election, the Socialists polled the greatest number of votes cast in Austria. Forty-seven percent of the total franchise were uncompromisingly Socialist–forty-seven percent throughout the entire nation, far more than the votes for any other party. And yet, a few weeks ago the government tried to blot out of existence this great plurality of voters.”
VICTIMS OF FIGHTING
When the anti-Socialist war was mentioned, Dr. Winter choked with emotion. “In some ways I am an old man,” he said as tears welled in his eyes. “Too old to fight, I suppose. I would only be in the way of the young strong men who defended the rights of the people.
“I can not tell you about the bombardment of the Karl Marxhof and other modern Socialist buildings, because I did not see the actual warfare. I can only tell you of the many women and children who have been left without husbands and fathers. I can only tell you of the thousands of Austrians, honest, peaceful, industrious people, who are being forced from their fatherland in exile. I can tell you of the hunger and want among my people.”
ASKS AMERICAN AID
Dr. Winter honored the American nation as “a people who have time and time again shown themselves prepared to help the victims of man made war and natural calamities.”
Dr. Winter was associated with former President Hoover in relief work in the Near East after the World War. He aided in distributing food to 300,000 children in Vienna and the Austrian provinces.
“I am here to ask America to help again. You have had depression here; we have had war there. We have orphans and widows who do not know where they can obtain a crust of bread. We have people in Czechoslovakia and Italy, who have no means of helping themselves. I hope on Sunday night I may persuade Americans to help them,” he concluded.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
