Page:Solomon Abramovich Lozovsky - The World's Trade Union Movement (1924).pdf/118

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114
WORLD'S TRADE UNION MOVEMENT

of the Profintern, In many countries we have to use approximate figures as they change almost every day to our advantage. Most important it is that there is not one country, not one serious labor organization in the world, where the Profintern does not have its followers.

The Forces of the Amsterdam International

Now let us attempt to compare our figures with that of the Amsterdam International. The leaders of the Amsterdam International repeatedly in their statements declare that they unite 20,000,000 workers. And we repeatedly pointed out that this figure was a statistical mirage, that the Amsterdam International has not such numbers of members.

If we take these figures formally, perhaps such a number may be reached. But if we figure realistically, we will get something entirely different. As was stated, the Amsterdam International is mostly an European unit. In Germany, for instance, it numbers 8,000,000 members, but in fact there are no less than 3,000,000 of these who are followers of the Profintern. In England they count 5,500,000. But to this figure we have to make a few corrections: First, at the end of 1922, this figure was lowered by over 1,000,000. Second, out of the remaining 4,500,000, not less than 12 per cent are followers of the Profintern. In Austria the Amsterdam International counts 1,079,000 members, but the opposition bloc composed of our followers has over 10 per cent of that amount. In Belgium the reformist unions have 698,000 members, but here our followers are between 5 and 8 per cent. In Bulgaria, according to the Amsterdam International, they have 14,000 members, but in reality the reformist unions have at most 1,000 members. In Denmark the reformist unions have 242,000 members, out of which 10 per cent are followers of the Profintern,

In Spain the reformists unite 240,000 members, out of which about 25 per cent are followers of the Profintern. And at that there are two dual trade union centers; One a reformist, the other revolutionary-Syndicalist. We have followers of the Profintern in both these organizations. In general we may say that in both Spanish Confederations we have from 30 to 35 per cent of our followers. In France the Amsterdam International counts about 756,000 members, but in reality the reformist Confederation of Labor has at most 250,000, In Greece, according to the Amsterdam International, they have 170,000 members of the trade unions; but, firstly, this figure is exaggerated because there is no such number of organized workers in Greece, and, secondly, half of the members of the Greek trade unions are affiliated with the Profintern.

Hungary has 152,000 organized workers, but it is difficult to define the minority there, because the Horthy government makes continual