The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-09-26
The German Socialists Still 1rrecOn-
Cilable.

1t would not be easy to exaggerate the
political importance Of the position taken
by the German Socialists at their annual
congress, which was held last week in
Dresden BY an overwhelming vote, the
congress upheld Herr BEBEL, the vet
eran leader Of the uncompromising ele-
ment, in his opposition to Herr BERN
STEIN and HerrvoN WoL14MAR, who have
advocated an opportunist policy, or who,
in other words, have sought to turn the
increased Parliamentary strength of the
Socialists to practical advantage.
1t will be remembered that at the
recent general election in the German
Empire the Socialists cast upward of
100000 votes, and returned eighty-one
Deputies to the new Reichstag. They
will thus constitute, next to the Centrists,
the most powerful party in the popular
branch OF the German Parliament, and
will be entitled to designate from their
number one Of the vice-presidents Of
that body. Herr BERNSTEIN, Herr Won
WoLLMAR and their friends maintain
that the privilege should be exercised.
The proposal was open to some specific
objections, because the vice-presidents
OF the Reichstag 60 to court and must
needs be brought into personal contact
with Emperor WILLIAM IT,, the bitter
ness Of whose animadversions on the
Socialists has, not unnaturally provoked
resentment. At bottom, however, the
suggestion that the Socialists should ac-
cept one of the vice-presidentships Of
the Reichstag raised the fundamental
question whether their attitude should
be read justed to their new and promis-
ing outlook.
Should they, in other words, stifIly ad-
here to the Utopian dream of KARL MARX,
who aimed at nothing short Of the over
throw of the present form of government
and the complete reorganization of So
ciety on the lines of State control of all
the means Of production, distribution
and consumption Or would their
leaders be willing to confine the party,
for the present at all events, to set of
metrically opposed to the class interests
of the factors dominant in Germany,
might nevertheless be carried out on
peaceablc lines, and find place within
the present order of society? Had this
fundamental question been answered in
conformity to the wishes of the opportun-
| lists or revisionists, there is but little
doubt that ut the next general election
| the Socialists would have won over nearly
| all that is left OF the two Radical factions:
| the extreme left of the National-Lberal
! party, which itself is but a rump; and
even the more democratic section Of the
| Centrists; and would thus have formed
by far the most influential party, numeri-
cally, in the Reichstag. Under such con-
dtions the German Empire could not
have been governed without material
concessions to that party's desires.
There is no doubt that events are ir-
resistbly propeilng the German Social
lists toward transformation into Radi-
cal-Democratic party and it is possible
that at the present Congress decided
step might have been taken in this d.
rection but for the violent resistance
offered by Herr BEBEL, who Yields the
tremendous influence due TO an incor-
ruptible character and to the long and
unselfish devotion of great abilities to
his party's advancement, and who, with
the possible exception of LAssALLE, is
by far the most eloquent man that in
modern times has been heard in Ger
many 1t must also be acknowledged
that in several matters not directly con-
nected with the old Socialist programme