Workmen's advocate. (New Haven, Conn.) 1883-1891, 1890-03-15


Peoples party, two belonged to the
Schweltzer ring (among them Schweit.
ger HIMSELF and two to the so called
Hatzfeldrng Of the Lassalians. The
differences between the two latter fac
tions were of personal nature solely
and of no importance. The total vote
polled for the socialist candidates was
about 80, 600,
The Two campaigns Of 1867 and the
activity Of the socialist deputies within
and without the Reichstag greatly
strengthened the movement. In the
Federation of Workmen's Educational
Societies the socialist element had be-
come so strong that the Central Com.
mittee, led by Behel and Liebknecht
submitted to the General Assembly of
the Federation which met at Nuremberg
in September 1868, motion To indorse
the platform of the International Worb-
ing Peoples Association. At this Con
ventlOn all factions of the labor move.
ment were represented, There were the
Schultze DelltZSch men, the purely
political wing of the Peoples party, Of
which the present Peoples party is the
continuation, the Marxist wing of the
Peoples party (Bebel, Liebknecht), and
a small number of Lassallians. After a
prolonged and heated discussion the
International programme was Endorsed
by large majority. The Schultze-
Delitzsch minority withdrew, leaving
the organization which they had formed
to keep the workingmen out of social
ism in the hands of the most radical
socialist leaders. The Federation of
Workmen's Educational Societies be-
came practically branch of the Inter
national
While thus at work capturing an en-
relax their efforts to bring the Lassal-
lians over to their views. They hoped
to break the influence of Schweitzer and
then to effect an amalgamation Their
line of attack was, that the Lassallian
organization was bad in giving dicta-
torial powers TO the president; that one
man power created corruption, as was
the case with Schweitzer; that Schweit
ger was an agent of the government and
had foisted upon the organization a mar
row Prussian patriotism which was in
WIN any u uc lhbtl lItNt-
ment. In March, 1869, Bebel and Lieb
knecht went to the convention of the
General Workmen's Society in session
at Barmen and there repeated their
charges before his own followers But
their arguments did not avail much, and
vote of confidence was supported by
AZ out of 90 votes, the other IA abstain
ing.
A convention was then called to meet
at Elsenach on August of the same year.
Socialist organizations of all factions
were invited to send delegates, to form
a united Socialist party. The Lassallians
came there in large numbers, but not in
a spirit Of Cancellation. Owing to their
turbulent disposition the Marxists, re-
lnforced by some disgusted Lassallians,
met in another hall and organized the
"Social Democratic party of Germany"
The platform adopted is substantially
identical with the socialist platform at
present recognized by the socialists of
all countries. 1t differs from LassalIes
programme in that it atfirms the inter
national character of the movement and
in considering co operative associations
with state aid merely as one of the mea-
sures for the temporary relief of the
working people, not az the form in
which the reconstruction Of society is to
be effected. The examination of the
credentials showed an attendance of 262
delegates, representing total member
ship of l55, 485 distributed over 1876 local
tiles of Germany, Austria and Switzer-
land.
The socialist movement grew steadily
and rapidly until the French war of
1870-7l, which temporarily checked
its progress. Shortly after Sedan the
members of the Executive Committee
Of the Social Democratic (Elsenach)
party were arrested and imprisoned
for issuing manifesto to the German
wOrkingmen, protesting against the
continuation of the war. The same po-
sition was taken in the Reichstag by
Bebel and Liebknecht, who voted
against any further war appropria-
tions. In December Bebel, Llebknecht
and Heppner were also arrested on the
charge of treason. In spite of persecu-
ton and in the face of public senti-
ment stimulated to high degree of pa
llDblt SllLuuSid5iu duI 10y ANY, lHt
election of 1871 showed an increase of
the socialist vote TO IA total of $50, 900.
But, owing to peculiar circumstan.
ces, Bebel was the only candi-
date elected, the Lassalian wing re-
turning none Of its candidates. This
was not, however, because of any
decrease of membership. Both fac.
tons, though carving on q very bitter
war against each other, did not allow
their hostilities to interfere with their
agitation; on the contrary their antag-
onism acted rather as a stimulus, spur
ring on each faction to its utmost exer-
tions. The era of mad capitanstic spec.
ulation and overproduction and the
great crisis of 1873 were extremely favor
able to the socialist propaganda. In
1874 the combined socialist vote had
risen to 35l $40. Nine socialist deputies