The morning news., 1894-10-22
GERMAN SOCIAL DEMOCRATS.
The Annual Congress in Session at
Frankfort,

me PARTY Leaders Face the Probability
of New Repressive Laws with De-
FAINT Front - The Party Bitterly As
saulted in the Anti-socialist Papers.
The Social Democrats Routed on the
Eight Hour Question in the Berlin
City Council in the For
eign Offices over England's Colonial
Policy.
Berlin, Oct. 21.-The annual congress Of
the social democrats opened to-day in
Frankfort -on-the- Main The Norwaerts
observes the event by publishing in four
teen columns the executive committees
report of the party's doings in the
Reichstag. The party finances are, as
usual, in good condition, showing at once
the economy and sagacity with which
they are administered. The usual sur
plus for the general treasury has been left
after the payment of all the expenses Of
the agltGSion.
The last paragraph of the report con-
Germs the prosecution of social democrats
since the congress of 1893. Within the
year So socialists have been imprisoned
and countless editors and agitators have
been fined.
whether this mimic warfare against
the social democrats win be continued,
says the report, ''or be merged again into
| a general attack on the whole party, is
question which soon win be answered.
However, come what may in the near cr
remote future, the social democrats will
meet the attack with tho same imper-
turbed, proud and calm resolution as here
! tofore. We are ready for the foe at all
| times. We are prepared for every new
| onslaught. With us is progress, with us
| Is right with US will be at last the vic
tory"
The case of Deputy Bueb and Comrade
Doppler, who declined to take the oath
| Of allegiance after their election to the
/ provincial council In Strassburg has
/ not been mentioned in the congress pro-
/ gramme but is likely to be defeated The
| Berlin newspapers have made II already
| the text OF many leaders on the question
| Does the social democracy encourage
| perjury The Critic, a new journal ed
! tied by the old democratic agltator and
| leader, Karl Schnedt once the friend OF
! Most and Neve, has assailed Liebknecht
! and Bebel mercilessly for their light
| Eeartedness in making and breaking their
oaths. Without wincing," il says,
they both swear allegiance to the king
when they enter the Saxon diet, admitting
frankly that without such means no sue
cess in politics is possible. Schneidt's
NC0A SC lbA CGilGtONS lHE intention OF the
| Independent social democrats to provoke
a row in congress by comparing the CON
| sclencious Bueb and Doppler with the pli-
| able Lfebknecht and Bebel This old
straw, however, was thrashed out long
ago and everybody knows that a major
ity of the social democrats approve of
swearing falsely the oath of allegiance
in case this act be deemed expedient for
the good of the party
! The non-socialist newspapers have as
sailed the social democracy savaRelv in
the last week. They have brought
many charges against the party manage
ment and have raised several questions
which are likely to increase the heat of
debate in the congress. The Kreuz Zei-
tung for instance, asserts that million
| aire Hebrews, under the direction of the
| Rothschilds, control and exercise a cen
| sorship over the social democratic press
AS evidence of this. it cites the course
| of the Norwaerts in apologizng for
quoting from a Paris journal an anti
Semitic TRADE against the Rothscilds
The fact is that the Vorwaerts expressed
regret merely for using an untrustworthy
statement concerning the great Hebrew
bankers. The debates In the congress
will illustrate once more the social de-
mocracy's attitude toward anti-Semitism
1t is neither for nor against the Hebrews,
and will have nothing to do with the alb
stract intentions Of the Hebrews or He
bTew-haters.
The Vorwaerts says in a leader adj
dressed to the delegates in Frankfort.
we social democrats have neither
party government nor dictatorship,
but only administrative body,
acting under the control OF
the members of the congress.
The work and the administration OF the
party will stand the test of freest crit
icism. Doubtless there are theoretical
and practical questions whose discussion
viii cause clash Of opinions. In the
heat Of the debate we may expect words
which will offend our friends and please
our enemies This is unavoidable, but we
may be sure that, although the words
may cause pain they will not leave
wounds"
The Berlin social democrats were routed
in tie city council on Thursday after
furious debate on the eight-hour day.
a socialist had moved that eight hours
be made the legal working day for all
municipal employees. The social demo-
Gratis struggled desperately to Fight down
the opposition and made the discussion
bitter and tumultuous from beginning to
end. The motion was rejected amid a
mixed chorus of approvals and protests
The moment the vote was announced, a
socialist named Stadthagen bounced from
his seat and bore down on the chairman
shouting. you shall suffer for this You
have allowed the majority 70 insult me
left their seats. Many cried, Throw him
out" An excited group made for Stad-
thagen, and but for the interference Of
municipal officers there would have been
a hand-to-hand fight
In his toast 10 the Grand Duke Of Baden
on Thursday, Emperor William again em-
phasized the duty of the army to main
tain his authority The newspapers are
disputing whether or not In his Fridays
speech he called the army the sole pill
lar" or merely "a pillar" Of the mon
archy. The radical journals hold to the
latter rendering. The conservatives say
that the emperors speeches on Thursday
and Friday show that he Is determined
10 deal severely with the empire internal
enemies.
The Norddeutcshe Altemelne Zeitung
noaed yesterday the dlscontent felt IN the
foreign office witstas hostile colonial poll
lev OF Great Britain. While making the
greatest pretenslons Of friendship. II said.
Great Britain. lntriguea actively TO foil
German plans OF colonial extension. II
pointed out how the British colonial poll
iry blocks the expansion Of other nations