El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-08-22

n ERLING, Germany. Aug. 22.-There
ID are six principal political parties
- in Germany and the largest Of
these is the Social Democratic party,
which in the last general election polled
1888, 900 votes On account of the une-
quail distribution of parliamentary seats,
four other parties each had a larger
number of representatives in the Reich
stag. although none of them pOlled
within million votes of the Socialist
strength. In the bye-elections held
since the last general election the So
cialists have made distinct gains, and
there is no doubt that the government
fears further contests
Socialism InimicaI.
The Socialists are enemies of the
present German constitution, and the
Kaiser has said: For me every Social
Democrat is Synonymous with an enemy
of the nation and of the Fatherland'
On account of. the peculiar odium at
taching to the word socialism is is
American properly to appraise the po-
litical worth of this greatest of the Ger
man parties. The German Social DEM
ocrats are the inheritors of that ultra
idealistic socialism which had its birth
in the Germany of anteimperial days.
Their party still holds TO the socia1istic
doctrines taught by Marx and LaSalle.
but 1t is not only party of idealism,
IL is also an active political agent de-
termined to win its way step by step,
consulting expediency, and not TO wait
until propitious time to overthrow and
transform the state all at once.
This curious combination Of idealism
and expediency in politics perhaps is
best indicated by the full name of the
party-the Social Democracy In its
idealism the party supports what is or
dinarily accepted as socialism, and in
its practice 1t advocates what is known
in popular political nomenclature as
democracy. For their socialism the So
cial Democrats have a creed. for their
democracy they have a program
Social Ideals
The ultimate ideal of the German So
cialists is a democracy of labor-a state
/ in which power and property shall be
| based on labor; in which citizenship
| shall depend on a labor qualifica ton,
| instead of a qualification of birth or of
property; in which there shall be no
citizen who enjoys without laboring,
and no citizen who labors without en-
| joying; where everyone who is able TO
work shall have employment. and ev-
eryone who ha< work shall retain the
whole produce of his labor; and where,
as the indispensable prerequisite of the
whole scheme, the land of the country
and all other instruments of production
shall be made the joint property of the
community and the conduct of all indus
trial operations shall be placed under
the direct administration of the state.
This revolution is demanded not as a
concession from the state to labor; but
as matter of simple right and justice
TO the working classes on the ground
that the wealth of the nation belongs
to those who created it. 1t is held that
70 do these things Is the obligation of
the state. because the state is merely
the organized Will Of the people.
The Six Demands
The practical political program of the
present organization of the party is
much more utilitarian. although lit car
rieS with 1t the spirit of this idealism.
The program makes ten demands:-CD
One vote for every adult man and wo-
| man; election day TO be a holiday; and
the payment of members of parliament.
| CD The government to be responsible
TO parliament; local self-government.
and the referendum. go The introduce
ton Of the militia system as a substf-
tute for the present compulsory military
service "a The freedom of speech and
! the freedom of the press. (5) Equality
| of men and women before the law go
! The establishment of the churches
| Cd Undenominational public schools
with compulsory attendance and free
tuition. 90 Free access to the courts
| without fees. 90 Free medical attend
ance and burial:
1t is a curious thing that in Germany;
where the principle of state socialism is
| more advanced than in any other nation,
the radical socialist party should be
| able to compress its program into ten
| demands. seven of which, in whole or in
| part, are enshrined in the constitution
and laws Of the United States. that ma
! ton in which the propaganda of state
socialism has ben more unsuccessful
| than in any other country OF the world.
What German Socialism Means
\ All of which illustrates the meaning
lessness of words and phrases. In Ger
many socialism means free speech, free
| speech. free press and free schools;
/ while conservatism means public own
ership of railways. mines, farms. factO-
ries. brewerieS, and moving picture