The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-06-05
German Catholics
 Of State Oppose
 Social Revolution
Show in Mass Meeting That They Are Not in Sympathy With Plans of Socialists to Heal Defects of Present IT.. duStrial Conditions

President George Jacob of St. BOnl- facius society, presided at the mass meeting of the German Roman Cath ollie societies of the State in Germania hall. New Haven, last evening. The exercises lasted until a late hour, and the large meeting closed the 24th an- nual convention of two days of these societies. A very large amount of work was accomplished, and the key note of the whole convention was the talk on social reform. as applied to the work of the church regarding the progress of socialism. The idea of the convention was to work in co-opera- tion with the National German socl- cities. as we'll as with the American Federation of Catholic societies in ac- cord with the encyclicals, dealing with social conditions, chief among them being the labor question, in which it is defined that social evils do exist, and our duties toward them. Hence it was claimed at the meetings yester- day that there was a great necessity of restoration, a return to the pr1n- ciples of the gospel and to unite all forces of Christian civilization to this end
 Joseph Frey, president of the New York State League of German speak ing Catholic societies, was the chief speaker of the evening. He spoke on Our Duties and Aims
 MT. Frey made the especial point that the German religious societies had been too quiescent but that they are now forging ahead and are much stronger abroad than they are here. There is a big field of work before them. He then went on to say:
 "We are unalterably opposed to so- cial revolution IS proposed by the so- cialists to heal the defects of our pres ent industrial conditions. We believe &ho% +l, md 1nr- nf hJI- man justice of the American people will overcome this spectre of social revolution. The people will never per- init any party to destroy our free 1n- stitutions"
 A long set of resolutions were pass ed setting forth that the organiza- . tiOn is in coordination with Papal work. pledging the support of the body to the bishop and protesting against the present handling of immigrants at Ellis Island, whereby many good wOdld-be immigrants are returned to Europe.
 Among the actions taken during the afternoon session was a vote to es- tablish a sick benefit fund to take ef- feet after January l, 1912.
 The financial report of the year showed there was cash amounting to $24,930.S3 on hand, which is an ap- preciable increase; that $3,310 was pa1Q out Tn SICK DeneDIS ldSL year |, that s1,7S5 was paid for death bene- fits; that the association is in better financial shape than ever before, and that it now has about 1000 members.
 These state officers were elected: President, Adam F. Licktieg. New Haven; first vice-president, Martin Lempke. Meriden Ge-election); second vice-president, George R. Baehr. New Haven secretary, Joseph Derbacher, New Haven (re-election); treasurer Karl Fielder. Hartford (re-election); spiritual adviser, Rev. Father Schaele, of St. Boniface church, New Haven; agitation committee, George Jacob, (chairman). New Haven; William Sic fen, Naugatuck: John lGoerdel Meri- den; Julius Wendt, Willingford, and Clemence Froleigher. Torrington: dele gates to the national convention in Chicago, September 1O-14. Adam F. Licktieg and Joseph Derbacher. New Haven; authorized to represent the state organization at Mainz confer ence in August, Louis J. Korb, New Haven.
 Ex-President Jacob was elected hon. orary president of the body for the ensuing year.
 It was voted to hold the next con- vention of the body in New Haven next year.