The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-04-19
By RICHARD $. SCOPE

The social-democratic attitude to this matter has of late undergone a change. At first the concentration of capital was an unobserved process, the unconscious result of thrift and sound management. Now it is a conscious trend with a con scious aim. Socialists have abandoned the notion that capitalism is necessarily vicious in whatsoever form it is carried on. Th!s option is replaced by the more practical notion that capitalism is vicious only when it is opposed to socialism. Herr Joachim, south German social democrat, proclaims that socialists are no longer foes of wealth; but only foes of wealth in nonsocialist hands. The more wealth there is in socialist pockets, the sooner will the socialist ideal be at tained." Hence the party leaders are managing their vast revenues on the same wise and industrious principles as do the big bankers. But this is only one of their aims. They have the other fruit full aim of attracting into the party as many rich men as will come. The day when socialists held that a rich man could not be a sincere socialist mas passed. Nowadays 1t is assumed that all socialists, especially if they are rich are sincere. A year ago the party brought off fine coup by securing the adhesion to its flag of Leipzig financier and manu- facturer who is worth about S7,OO0 0OO. Prosperous men make up a great part of the Reichstag party; dominate the an- nual "Partitag' congresses, and monopo- lize the honorary offices Without any v,ali ,,. tain these positions by virtue of their wealth, their managing ability. and their usefulness in the direcrorate of the party's s financial affairs.
 On these terms, rich men, accroding to recent socialist experience, are relatively easy to get. Wealth which would not secure a man prominence in an ostens,- bly capitalistic party like the national liberal, at once secures distinction in q supposed proletariat party like the so- cialist.
 The case of the late Paul Singer proves this. Singer born in Berlin of Jewish parents, started with his broth CT. ladies' mantle factory. He be- came a millionaire; relinquished his partnership in the factory, and took his millions into the socialist ranks. Singer was a first-rate business man; but not a talented politician. Within a few years he was co-chief of the party with Rebel; and absolute autocrat in everything that concerned. the party's finances and speculations Singer accentuated the party's capitalistic trend. To destroy capitalism, he reasoned, the first thing needed was capital
 At present the social -democratic-pa -party in the Reichstag is predominantly a party of rich or at least of comfort able" men. With few marked excep- tions it's 110 members are as we'll dressed, we'll fed and well combed as are the hated "bourgeois.'', A few mem- bers in these respects stand above the average Reichstag level These are the so-called "S. D. millionaires." who are not necessarily dollar or even mark millionaires, but are still rich men. One such millionaire is Herr Richard Fisch- CT, who runs the vast "Vorwaerts" printing works. More disting g uished and probably richer is Dr. Paul Lensch. "ths red gentleman."N Lensch was formerly proprietor of the 'Leipziger Volks- xeitunE." He is cultivated man of