The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-04-28
The Condition Of Workingmen in Ger

manJ.
Our contemporary. tho Herald. has lately
published series OF interviews with repre-
sentative German Socialists. including Herr
LIEBKNECHT. Herr BEBEL. and Herr SINGER.
These interviews are interesting not only
for the light they throw on tho programme
and prospects OF the Socialist party. but for
their disclosures OF the hardships and priva-
tons suffered by the mass OF German work.
inglnen. The statements made regarding
the rate Of wages and the cost OF living ex-
plain the widespread discomfort which
found utterance In the tremendous vote
polled for Socialist candidates at the last
election OF the Reichstng.
There Is no reason to doubt the anthem
ITCHY Of the data obtained from the leaders
OF the workingmen. for they have. of
course. tho best opportunities for gaining
information. and would be careful, for
their own sake. to mako no statement OF
fact which could be contradicted. What
they say is that the average weekly wages
OF the German workingman are less than
fifteen marks. or. say. three dollars
and half In some trades the earn
ings are much less. Thus viewers are glad
to get $3.50. In Saxony. where large pro-
portion Of the inhabitants are engaged In
manufacturing. less than $50 year is
earned by seventy per cent. OF the work.
ing people. On the other hand. tho cost Of
living is considerably higher than it was
five years ago. The increase. indeed. Is es-
pecially marked in Berlin. but 1t Is noticea-
bic everywhere. Instead OF this change
being neutralized by a simultaneous rise
In wages. the reverse Is the case: for
we are told that. taking ono trade with
another. the German workingman earned
rather more five years ago than he can
now. The present wages OF an adult male.
$3.50 per week. are quite inadequate to the
maintenance OF o family. and In order to
exc out bare subsistence his vito and
children have to work. A woman, by the
way. is pronounced lucky II she earns 81 80
per week. Compared with tho situation Of
IN American. or even an English operative.
the lot Of q German artisan Ia munlfestly
pitiable. He does not even permit himself
to hope. except in his dreams OF socialistic
reconstruction. for reduction OF the labor
day to eight hours. A ten-hour day Is all he
asks for. and that he has but q small chance
Of obtaining.
1t Is noteworthy that both Herr BEBE1.
and Herr SINGER. who spoke with more
frankness than Herr LIEBKNECHT. acknowl-
edge that a socialistic transformation of
society was fur distant. They seem to have
no illusions on this subject. They believe,
indeed. that the 1.4OO.O 900 Socialist votes cast
at the last general election will In tho next
contest at the ballot box be increased to
2.0O0.O 900. and they deem 1t probable that In
ten years the Socialists may constitute
majority OF the electors. Neither Herr
BEBEL nor Herr SINGER. however. believes
that this electoral majority will be allowed
to become Parliamentary majority. Tho
German bourgcoisic. or middle class. Is.
! they say implacably opposed to socialism:
and tho momcnt the rcformers seem to have
chance OF victory it will fight them with
desperation. Herr SINGER thinks that one
OF the first things tho upholders OF the
existing order would do would be to
get rid OF universal suffrage. He
does not mean that they would venture
to abolish 1t ofI-hand. but they would cir
cumscribe the right Of voting. with 80 many
limitations as to lesson. II not extinguish.
tho voting power OF workingmcn. Even in
the improbable contingency OF the Social
lists obtaining control Of the Reichstag and
the Landtag. it is pointed out that tho mid
die class would Still huve the army and
police ut their disposal. and would enter on
resolute struggle for existence. Inas-
much, however. as under the system of
CONSUMPTION. Socialists as well as nom
Socialists are forced to render military Scr
vice. 1t muy DO that the army would prove
an Enthusiastically instrument. owing to the
spread OF Socialist doctrines in Its ranks.
There are. no doubt. some Anarchists In
Germany. and there 10 an advanced. or
revolutionary. wing Of the sociulistic party.
which at tho last Congress seeded and has
formed an independent organization. 1t Is,
however. for the vast majority Of the So