The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1912-10-19
SOCIALISM AND BIRTH RATE
Significant Results of Investigations
by an Eminent German
Political Economist.

In series of highly interesting lee
lures, recently published in book
form, Professor Julius Wolf, of the
University of Breslau, one of Ger
many's best known political econo-
mist's, theats among other popular
questions the most important one of
the influence of Socialism on the birth
rate of Germany
Fifteen years ago marriages among
the laboring classes were more fruit
full in many districts of Germany than
marriages among the inhabitants of
the agricultural districts. During this
short period the birth rate has de-
creased somewhat more than one
seventh per cent.
After briefly touching upon the
causes of this deficiency, Professor
Wolf (who is neither a Catholic nor a
Centrist) examines the relation be-
tween birth rate and party affiliation,
confirming his investigations to the
Centre and the Poles on the one hand
and the Social Democrats on the
other. In Prussia the provinces with
the lowest birth rates have the high
est number of Socialist voters, and
vice versa. Thus in Berlin in 1908 the
number of births per thousand of the
Inhabitants was 23.9, the number of
Socialist votes cast at the general
elections of 1907 was 662 per cent
For Brandenburg the figures were 28.4
and 40.6; for West Prussia, where the
population is predominately Polish,
385 and z; for Posen, 1877 and 9, re-
spectively.
The connection between Socialism
and low birth rate is still more clearly
seen from the statistics for the sew
eral government districts of Prussia
Of these, Muenster, in Westphalia, has
the highest birth rate. The votes cast
for the Centrist candidate, Baron Won
Hertling, in 1907 amounted to 1872 per
cent (the Polish vote was 3.8 per
cent?. For Oppeln, in Silesia, the
birth rate was 41.8 per thousand, the
Centrist and Polish vote together II
per cent of all votes cast. The results
in the other Federal States was much
the same as those in Prussia Of
course, party afiliation and birth rate,
or conversely do not stand to each
other in the relation of cause and eff
feet, but as Professor Wolf very
justly remarks, party afiliation and
birth rate have one and the same
source The representative of a view
of life that is atheistical, that is based
on purely economical or egoistical
principles, and is in every respect
emancipated, cannot give life to a
numerous family, whereas the repre-
sentative of civilization founded on
religion and a positive moral code is
favorable to larger number of chill
dren."
Equally significant are Professor
VOLTS reflections on the population
policy" of the Socialists. 'The in
crease in the population of Germany,
especially in Nurthern Germany" he
says, ''must be mainly ascribed to the
Catholic element Socialism practices
abstinence. It's population policy is at
best calculated to keep the population
on its present level. 1t will never be
responsible for an increase in the
population. In this respect Socialism
is gallicized. Socialism, as far as
numbers are concerned, would be at a
standstill but for the continual influx
of deserters from other parties. The
Socialist vote will never be increased
by the mere excess of births over
deaths within the ranks of the So
cialists themselves