The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1912-02-03
Contest between Centre Party and So
cialists.-The Political Situation
The Centre Party and its Allies
The Manifesto of the Centre Party.
A Bird's-Eye VieW.-The First Bal
lot.-Padroado de Oriente.-Diocese
of Southwark.

lot.-Padroado de Oriente.-DioceSe
of Southwark.
The Catholic interest of Europe
this month centres in Germany for
there great struggle is in progress
to which we cannot afford to be in
different. It affects Europe in two
ways. 1t is the first hand to hand en-
counter between Socialism as power
opposed to the acknowledged condition
of things, and one of the most abso-
lutte sovereignties in the world today.
And secondly, our interest in this strug-
gle lies in the fact that Socialism is
matched against the Catholic Church,
for it is acknowledged on all hands
that the Centre Party and only they,
as generals Of the defending forces
marshalled under their leadership, can
save the German Empire and keep it
intact. That is wonderful acknowl-
edgment when we remember how
even Catholics themselves are wont
to say that the Church has no place
in politics and to echo the words of a
Bavarian priest which caused conster-
nation in Munich the other day, when
he said that the place of the clergy
was in their Churches not in the Diet
or the Landtag. And yet here is the
one country in Europe where, in self
defence and under the leadership of
an intrepid Catholic 1ayman, Windt-
horst of glorious memory, Catholics
took their stand in the deliberations
of the nation and have lived and grown
until the Government leans upon them,
and the country looks to them and
many other parties of the Fatherland
are proud to call them allies.
Political Situation.
1t may be interesting to glance at
the situation in Germany today and
trace political map which will enable
us to gauge what the elections signify
when they are made known. The first
ballot took place on January IL, but
when we know that there are 397
seats to be contested, that for these
there are something like fifteen hun
dred candidates representing eight diff
ferent parties, Conservatives, Radicals,
National Liberal, Socialist, Free Con-
serVatives, Poles, Centre, and Agra
rians, we will realize that though indi-
cations of what is going to take place
may be obtained at the first ballot the
fate of Germany will not be decided
till the second ballot, which takes
place within thirty days of the first
and in which the most successful can,
didates in each constituency must
fight again, for in Germany the man
who wins the day has to have a ma
jority of votes over the collective
figures of all not one, opponent.
The Centre Party and it's Allies.
The Centre Party has more thar
one ally in its struggle against the
red tide of Socialism. 1t is leagued
with the Conservatives and in several
constituencies it has arranged to place
it's electorate at the disposal of theil
candidate. Glancing around the vari
Gus component parts of the German
Empire we find that in Prussia anC
particularly in Berlin, the Socialists
are in great strength. They possess
the capital and hold five out of the
six seats of the city. In Brandenbers
also they expect to gain several vic
tories and to recover certain seat!
which they lost at the last election
In Alsace Lorrain two parties, tht
Centre and the Lorrain Bloc as tht
anti-German party is called, hold tn,
field, but Socialist is trying yer,
hard to secure Metz on the strength
of his personality. Personality play,
a part in more than one seat, and tn,
Centre have carefully chosen thei
candidates that where seven or eigh
parties take the field without an ALI
ance, their man, prominent and popu
lar, may unite the opposing forces O
the majority of them in his own pei
SON. This is the case at Bielefeld wher
Count Posodowsky, one of the great
est OF German politicians and ma
of remarkable personality and dee
insight into the affairs of his country
has taken the field. He was till 100
Imperial Secretary for Internal Al
fairs, and he is leader of the Centr
and an ardent Catholic. One of tn
principal manufacturers of this maj
ufacturing town, and Socialist, tell
me, that, though the Socialist can DO
forty per cent of Bielefeld, Posodop
sky win win The Count made yer
fine exposition of the rise Of Socia
ism and its causes in Germany in hi
electoral address, pointing out that
was brought about by the great econ,
mic and political crisis which followe
the Napoleonic Wars, and declarin
that 1t could only be vanquished by il
tellectual and moral forces deman,
ing much calmness, love OF justice an