The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1878-06-23
THE GERMAN GOTERNMENT AND THE
SOCIALISTS

TIE GERMAN GOVERNMENT AND THE
SOCIALISTS.
London Tablet.
The provisions of the proposed law of the
German Governments against Socialism would
be sufficient, even in the absence of any other
Indications, to hetray the .Ttent OF the alarm
party, !" Pnbfcations and associations which
promote the objects of the Socialist Demo
craey are to be placed for three years ut the
German Parliament, and, pending formal pro-
hibition by this body, the police are to be
empowered to enforce suspension Of all publi-
cations and of the meetings Of all associations
comprised within the description of Social.
Democratic" The managers Of Social Demo
cratic associations and the editora and pub
liable to imprisonm ment for not Less than three
months, and similar penalties are denounced
against aliepersons who by any public exp!es-
ing legal and moral order" As 9 foretsste
and specimen of the manner in which the
desired Law is intended to work, the
Prussan Government has prohibited the
ennounced for the purpose of eieoting dele
gates to the annual Socialist Convention.
There is, in fact, to be . regular bunt after
every body and everything that can be drawn
into any imaginable connection with the
dreaded Socialism, and, still true to its old
ways, the Pruseian Bureaucracy looks to the
9GtODR arm OF state COERCION 4Or bu0 only
remedy against desperate moral evil. 1t is
needless for ne to say how deeply We regret,
and how earnestly We condemn, the propaga-
tfon Of the immoral and subvereive doctrines
which Germany has borrowed from France.
Looking to the dev vastation that Atheism and
Red Republicanism have wrought among the
French nation, in spite of old Catholic tradi-
tioDs,- who can contemplate with indifference
the spread of the principles of Voltaire and
Felix Pyat among the morose and discon tented
massee of the German workmenf 1t is impos-
sible to deny the rapid extension of the mia-
chief. Seven years ego hundred and fifty
Thousand German electors voted for the So.
cialiat programme At the second elections to
the German Reichstag the number of Socialist
that further increase was found to have been
doubled again. A thoroughly organized sys-
tenn of fpropsgsndism has gradually penetrated
into every centre of industrial life throughout
the country. Lectures, newspapers, and secret
agents carried on the agitation from province
to province, and 10 all, save the Catholic dis.
triots, masses of the working population pass
the bitterest hate Of the established constitu-
tion of Government and society
What are the objects of the Social Demo
crRts It would be difficult, indeed, to state
with precision the objects of o party which
includes section of svowed anarchists"
among it's following. In general, however,
We may ssy that the abolition of the heavy
whole field of industry and manufacture, the
sestabIishment of State-aided institutions of
cooperative lSbor, in which the operatives
shall be partners instead of workers. for hire,
the Eetrenchment of the expenses Of govern
Snent by the process of abolisbing the army
and most of the branches of the adminiSCra.
sicn, the suppression of religion rs hostile to
Pablo prosperity, and of marriage as ii jurious
30 public morality-these, and half SCORE of
Kindred chimeras and impietles, mingled with
just some grains OF sound doctrine Wildly ex;
She Socialist theme for the reconstruction OF
society. Very generally, there is but an indis.
'sinct apprehension of any definite scheme ct
all in the vehement outpouriDgs from platform
and pen which are stirring mp the German
masses to disaffeotion against their most pa
ternRl government Generally speaking, the
most effective portion of the socialist sgita-
tion is not that which sketches in brilliant
colors the happiness of the future organization
Of labor, but the aggressive and Polemical
part which assails with passionate denuncia-
sianised Germany. If the necessity OF State
aid for workmen is referred to, IL is usually
in some connection with the Wholesale swim.
ding Of the influential "bubble companies"
guished auspices, and collapsed to the ruin
of all but the promoters. The condemnation
pf standing armies always goes along with
eOmplaints of the grinding oppression of the
Prescription, and the innumerable burthens
imposed upon every branch of industry by the
military system of Prussia. The attacks
quotations from the proceedings Of Prussian
Eulere themselves against eliRious liberty.
This is favorite argument, "The highest
statesmen agree that Catholicism is pref adj
Ci0l to the public prosperity and destitute of
moral and historical foundations. But If this
be 90, where 10 the rag of foundation for any
other form of fChristianity, which in every case
is Well known to everybody to have none of
the claims to respect possessed by the CAtho.
lilo fn
COncurrently with the proposed introduc-
tion of severe penal laws against the Social
ists, it 10 to be noticed that q reaction has
strongly set in among the more orthodox and
conservative circles of Prnssian Professionalism
against the whole system of Church regulation
of which the Falk Laws are so notorious an
exposition. 1t is hardly concealed that the
action OF the Government against religious
liberty, and the deliberate manner in which
tho influence Of Christianity has been opposed,
are 70 be blamed for the increasing lioense in