The Labor enquirer., 1885-01-17
G.ERMANYA
A Sketch Of the Socialists From
Their First Organization
in 1849.
The Power Which Makes Bismark
Tremble and See G0blins In
His Sleep.

The Power Which Makes Bismark
Tremble and See Gobiins in
His Sleep.
London Daily Chronicle. Dec. II
The language employed by Prince
Bisna ark. while opposing bill for the
payment OF members of the Reichstag,
clearly derotes the gravity with which
hevtews the recent successes of the
Socis.l Democrats This danger the
Chancellor has never denied, and his
personal dealings with the Socialists, in
former times, prove how anxious he has
beer to reeonciliate this element of the
population. His efforts in this direction
have, however. never proved successful ;
and the return of24 Social Democrats at
the last general elections implies even
more than can be inferred by the figures
given.
on referring to the map of Germany,
1t will be seen that the strength of the
Socialists is concentrated principally in
strategical positions. Should a popular
movements occur, the revolutionary
party wot,d be best able to act precise
ly where the railways converge; and, if
successful in these various centres, could
easily parslyse the entire country. Such
important stations on the main channels
of communications as Frankfort, Dres-
den, Berlia, BresIau, Magdeburg, Dussel-
dorf and Hamburg, if seized by the
leaders of a popular rising, weuld render
thern IN great measure masters Of the
situation. At Hamburg, for instance,
the Socialists represent the absolute ma
jority of voters, and, judging from past
experiences, their mum bers will continue
to increase. Sooner or later matters
mutt remc to a climax, for compromise
is almost out of the question. The best
prospect of pacific solution rests in the
hops that if the socialists were given
full liberty of action they would soon
qua.re araong themselves, and the mere
Democratic element, consisting in a
great measure of small shopkeeprs,
would ultimately separate from the more
advanced Socialist workingmen; and
the party thus divided in two, would
lose halfit strength. Tothis it can be
OBJECTED that such separation has al
ready been effected J. that those who are
only Democrats have created the Volks-
partie, which has seven representatives
in the present Reichstag.
Tothose who have stadled party poli-4
tics among the numerous Germans liv-
ingIin London, it would seem as if a
split might more easily be brought about
by the extreme men. Indeed, under
the perfect freedom of discussion en-
joyed in England, this division has al
ready taken place. We have one set,
the party of the Tottenham, street club,
who reflect in every sense the opinions
of Liebknecht and Bebel, and who re-
Gently received Herr Frohme, the Social
Democrat representative of Sehleswig-
Holstein, and another party, the Anar.
chist, so called, of the club in Stephens
me ws. These latter, inspired by Herr
Most, are constantly attacking the former
and imagine that they have a consider
able following in Germany. They repu-
diate legal agitation and parliamentary
action, blame the leaders of the Social
Democrats for their milk-and-water
policy, insist that they have been spoilt
and pampered by their, surroundings as
me mbers of the Reichstag, and finally
issued instructions to their adherents
not to vote at all, at the recent elections,
but to devote all their energies to pre-
pairing for physical force revolution.
Still, and in spite of this, the number OF
workmen who went to the poll was
greater than ever; and, therefore, the
Anarchists failed to exercise any per-
ceptible influence.
There is no use of denying the. gravity
ofthe situation. Thlsis is no new struggle
and most known methods of opposition
have been tried and failed. The party
was born, as it were, on the barricades
of|1s49, and with the reaction that en-
sued it was thought extinct. Its lead,
ers-Karl Marx, Engels, Liebknecht
Becker Wolf, and others-were all
driven into exile; but In 1858 Lassalle
succeeded, in little more than year
I'M gathering together the broken threads
and created the General Association ol
German Workmen." Had this brilliant
orator apd writer lived, the crisis now
approaching might have already occur
red. He was, however, entangledan the
meshes of an intrigue, and killed IN
duel; catastrophe which the Socialists
declare was brought about on purpose te
secure the suppression of this dangerous
popular advocate. whose support Prince
Bismark had in vain attempted TO So
cnre. AS means of resisting Austrian
clerical and feudal influence, Princs
Bismark gave the North German people
universal suffrage in 1867. Llebknech
and Bebel we're the first Socialists wn'
oained admittance to the Reichstae
They have held their seats almost un
shaken during II years and IN six dlf
ferent parliaments. At the same TIM
representative of the Lassalle party
Mende-was elected, and Prince BIS
ora .tbonoht of employin,