The Irish standard., 1906-10-20
Catholics Of the United States Can Learn
Much From the Unity of the
German Catholics.
An Interesting Description Of the German
Catholic Convention Held Last " ,
Summer at Essen.

were practically impossible. and on the
other days they were not much better.
Yet despite this tremendous outpour-
ing Of people there was not a single
arrest for drunkenness or disordeyiy
conduct nor did tbs police have any
extra work.
The convention proper was held ia
the Town Hall.
TN addition to delegates from every
part Of Germany" said Mr.. Koelble,
there were delegates from France,
Switzerland. Austria, Italy. Corea, Bra
zil. Canada and the United States, y
THE convention was really a oon-
gress Of the leaders and dominating
I spirits of every domain of Catholic
thought and activity in Germany.
"rhe st. Vincent de Paul Societies,
st. Raphael's, the Lourdes', Students.
Total Abstinence Moderation. Teach.
ers', Catholic Business Mems, Bonifa-
cius'. Catholic Mechanics. and People's
societies and the Catholic Mission Con.
gress, all either had their own annual
convention at Essen or some meeting
or banquet or feast during the week.
III any organization or individuals
have any plans or ideas for the COM
mon good, they submit them to the
great congress- and that. congress be-
| comes the great distributing center Of
Catholic thought and activity. In fact
1t acts as legislative body. leeisla-'
ting upon exclusively Catholic int,r.
| ests for the veal of all the Catholics OF
Germany, as we'll as for Catholics Of
| other countries.
"St. Raphael's Society is interna.
tional in its activity. 1t has repre-
sentatives protecting immigrants in all
large ports.
1.-THE strongest of tho German socle.
ties is the Volksverin. or Peoples So
| ciety. 1t has $4,000 members, and
during the past year it supplied $40
newspapers with reading matter and
editorials. held 1000 meetings and dis
tributed 11,5O0.0OO pamphlets, books
| and publications. Since its institution
it has distributed 74,00O,0O0 copies Of
published matter. It's members are
educated in the questions of tho day.
particular stress having been laid In
| recent years upon educating tho work.
ing masses as to the errors Of Social,
ism.
Politics and polernics were strictly
kept out of the convention. The Ger-r
man Catholic lives at peace with his
Protestant brother. g
Emperor William expressed to the
convention his pleasure over the fact
that it was helping to solve both the
controversial and social problems.
And that was the keynote of the con.
gress.
There is of course q Catholic party
in Germany, the Center Party, So
called because it occupies physically
the center Of the Reichstag. Actually
1t is the center today around which
the other political parties and practi-
cally the Prussian government revolye.
For the Center Party is the strong
est in the Reichstag, and practically
controls the legislati IN Of the Prussian
Government. Several years ago, at
the last eection, when the Socialists
polled 2.50O,000 votes and increased,
their membership in the Reichstag
from about 35 to 80. the Center Party j.
kept its ranks intact, and it today
has something over 100 members.
"They are a unit on great questions,
and as they do not look out merely Cor
the inte1 ests of the Catholics, but also
for the best interests of the country
they inhabit and lova. they form COM
binations which make them the most
dominating factor in the destinies OF.
Germany. ..,,3
"The great Windhorst was the leader
Of the Center Party when the !Catho-
llics Of Germany, after memorable !,