The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1913-08-23
WOMAN UNDER SOCIALISM.

WOMAN UNDER SOCIALISM.
Last week, August Ferdinand
Bebel, the standard bearer Of the
socialist party in Germany, passed
from the scene Of his labors at the
age of seventy-three. For more
than half a century he had been
prominently identified with the
socialist movement in Germany !;
and for many years he was the
recognized leader and foremost
exponent of the principles Of
socialism.
It was natural, therefore, that
his death should have evoked ex-
pressions Of regret from his fol-
lowers throughout the world, all
of whom agree that the cause of
socialism has suffered an almost
irreparable loss.
One of his followers in st. Paul.
in an interview published in the
Pioneer Press, referred especially
to Bebel's work on behalf Of
woman suffrage and women s
equality with man. He said that
Bebel's monumental book on
woman and Socialism" was the
standard authority, and in the
next breath declared that Bebel
did much to elevate the status
of women, by preaching their
equality with men and the posi-
ton they must hold in the indus
trial and social world Of the
future. ;"
We are glad that at least one
socialist is willing to recognize
Bebel's "Woman and Socialism "
as standard authority. We have
heard socialists refuse to accept
the doctrines Of their leader as set
forth in that book, and deny that
its teaching expressed the views
of the rank and file Of socialists.
We have heard them 60 so far as
to declare that Bebel never said
the things written in that "monu-
mental book
It is difficult to realize how any
one who has read this standard
authority, (" can declare that it's
author did much "to elevate the
status of women" 1t seems in
credible that a socialist who is at
all familiar with "Woman and So
cialism" could make such a state
ment in apparent sincerity.
A few years ago the Socialist
Literature Co. Of New York, is
sued a special Jubilee Edition of
this work. Under the heading,
woman in the Future" it con-
tains brief chapter in which is
summed up "the conclusions that
may be drawn in regard to the
position of women in future So
ciety;" and in order to show how
much Bebel's teaching is capable
of 'elevating" women beyond her
present status we subjoin the fol-
lowing extracts: "In the new So
ciety (that is, under the reign of
socialism, women will be entirely
independent both socially and
economically. She will not be
subjected to even a trace of dom
nation and exploitation, but will
be free and mans equal and mis-
tress of her own lot. y y In
the choice Of love, she is as free
and unhampered as man. She
wOos or is wooed, and enters into
a union prompted by no other con-
siderations but her own feelings.
This union is a private agreement,
without interference Of a func-
tionary. y If between man
and woman who have entered into
a union, incompatibility, disap-
pointment or revulsion should ap-
pear, morality commands a disso-
luton of the union which has be-
come unnatural, and therefore i'm
moral. That present day
marriage is not suited to its pur-
pose, is no longer denied by any
thinking person. So it is not sur
lprising that even such persons
favor free choice of love, and a
free dissolution Of the marriage
relation, who are not inclined to
draw the resulting conclusions
that point to change Of the en-
tire social system. He quotes
with evident approval, the writ
ings Of men and women who adj
vocate free love and are willing to
condone all lapses of conjugal
fidelity.
Such is the woman of the future
Ia woman without religion, with
out morality, without any feeling
of innate modesty, the plaything
of sensual passion, of unrestrained
free love. Christian marriage as
we know it and the ordinary con-
ventions of society so interviewed