National Republican., 1886-09-15
Views OF a German Socialist.

Views of a German Socialist.
Herr Wilhelm Liebknecht, leader Of the
socialists in the German reichstag, landed
at New York on Monday and gave to 4
journalist an interesting, but not very
striking or original, account Of the socialist
movement In Germany. He has evidently
adopted the policy OF noncommittal, as he
hastened to explain that his object In
coming TO America was to learn, not to
teach, but that In SO far as he has a mission
Il is to disabuse the mind Of the general
public as to any red specter Of anarchy
haunting the socialism Of Germany. He
treats the ultra.truculence Of Johann Most
as mere rabid insanity, and, after touching
upon the Chicago riots, goes into an analy-
sis Of the German temperament. While ON
this topic Herr Liebknecht makes some
remarks which deserve attention al have
heard, )" he said, "of the Chicago anarchists,
and 1t would be inhuman on my part TO
say anything against men who are
under sentence Of death. And yet /
cannot fail to compare them TO o
number Of Germans In the Fatherland who
are ever carried away by an idea. Remem-
ber that Germans are very poor politicians.
While they know there is something wrong
going on at the head they keep on broodlng,
broodlng for ever Sometimes q leader or
speaker will arise and throw out even
mere catchword, a simple idea, and these
fellows-nonest at heart, honest to the very
core-will endenvor TO carry out that idea
practically, and will make fools or crml-
nails Of themselves. II they were politi-
ticians, such MS the American republic
furnishes in abundance, they would not 50
readily put their necks into the halter"
There is much to be said for this view Of
the question. The simple natured and per-
fervid Teuton dwells in a world of reason
and Imagination, contradictory as the state.
ment may seem. The man of average
training and intelligence revels in the
spiritual reflections Of Schiller, aud at the
same time is capable Of following with thu
utmost avidity the iron.handcd sequences
of Lesslng's logic. lie delights, II
moderately religious man, in the
Platonic subtlety Of Schleer-
macber's theology, and, with Kant,
digs deep into the phenomena Of mind,
matter, and soul. lie takes even whack
at the Parerga Of Schopenhauer, and, like
the shoemaker in Paul Heyse's "Children
of the World,n comes to believe that
mans function is to think and woman's TO
knit stockings and go to market. When
such shoemaker commences to apply his
pbilosophlc mind, charged with the un-
| digested speculations of a dozen different
thinkers, to the social difficulties right un.
der his eyes, 1t is like cutting blocks with a
blunt razor. The implement Is not keen
enough to shave and not heavy enough to
chop wood for the dinner fire. Such a man,
in all honesty and sincerity, becomes VIC
tim Of great ideas ard nuisance to his
government. But II his rulers do not love
him, he wins the sympathies Of good mudde-
headed fellows like himself, and humane
ideas begin to percolate the social strata,
slowly boring holes in the feudal system
and loosening the foundations OF the almost
| purely military organization OF all European
society.
| Herr Liebknocht goes on to give his own
| opinion Of what well regulated socialism
may be considered to have In view. "The
socialism which proclaim has in view the
proper division Of tho natinn's wealth 80,
In other words, the equalization OF prop
erty." He then says the usual things about
Jay Gould and Vanderbilt, and contrasts
their wealth with the sordid struggles OF
the millions. lie approves sofgovernmental
management for most OF the great indus
tries now In the hands of individuals or
corporations, and commends the proposal
Of his own government to take charge OF
the great coal mines In Saxony, "where the
few rich are constantly autagonizing the
poor"
This is not particularly novel line OF
thought, but II is almost romantic when
compared with his statement on education.
at is the duty OF the state to give
| every child, not only thorough moral, but
| also physical trainlng.n We should like to
have heard the distinguished foreigner ex-
plain what he means by moral training and
what by physical. His words, as they
stand, mean anything or nothing but the
everyday commonplaces Of primary school
room.
The German then attacks the wage
problem "If a wage Garner is paid more
than his colleagues in Europe, his expenses
are increased. 1t is this problem that So
calism is endeavoring TO solve, and In do
Ing so we threaten nothing, we consplre
not.n We are inclined to think that the
distinguished Herr will not gain much at
tertlon in this country for such very mild
doctrine after the drastic remedies sug-
gested and applied by other reformers.
After our friend has made the tour OF the
states he will either go much farther or fall
back. lie states the old difficulties in an
antiquated way and offers no remedy. The
social problems have advanced much nearer
to solution in America than in Germany,
ard the one redeeming fact among the
harmless utterances of our foreign friend is
the statement that he came to learn, not to
teach.