The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-03-10

ousted from Rome by the italian government in
1870
Bismarck on his side distrusted the Catholics as
antpatrotc followers Of foreign prince; felt that
they had tried to involve him in difficulties with the
italian government and believed that the recent
declaration Of the infallibiity Of the pope meant
revival Of the medieval effort on the part of the
papacy to interfere in German politics.
SO in 1872 Bismarck opened his campaign against
the Catholics He drove the Jesuits from Germany
and severed relations between Prussia and the
Vatican. He then passed the drastic May laws"
providing educational qualifications for Offices in
the Catholic church which were rather difficult for
the average Catholic to meet putting the church
schools under the control Of the state and forbiddng
church schools for boys.
Further legislation was passed restricting the
movement of Catholic priests and otherwise sub
Jecting them to repressiye policy.
The situation became very tense. Within single
year, six Catholic bishops thrown into prison
in Prussia and worship ended in more than thou
sand parishes.
Persecution had the usual result of welding TO-
gether those who we're attacked The Catholic or
Center party became unified and aggressive. #
adopted program of religious liberty and of adj
vanced social and labor legislation
The latter was designed to win favor and sunnort
among Catholic industrial workers The result was
that in the imperial elections of 1874 the Center
party increased its representation in the reichstag
from siXtythree to ninety-o and polled approxi
mately 100000 votes
This made it quite evident that Bismarck,s 40
gressive program was breaking down He stuck to
his guns for several more years, but in the end
backed away, leaving the Catholic church and the
Center party much stronger than they had been
when the empire formed
The anti-clerica legislation was allowed to lapse
in 1880 and was repealed formally in 1885,
The net result Of Bisrnarcks campaign against
the Catholics was the forging of a strong Catholic
party which has come down into our own day and
right now is the most powerful single opponent of
Hitler.
Blsmarcks withdrawal from the campaign against
the Catholics was prompted in part by his growing
fear Of the Socialists The followers of Marx and
La Sale united in 1875, and in 1877 they elected
twelve members to the rechstag polling half
million votes.
Taking advantage of the popular resentment
against radicals produced by two efforts to assassi-
nate the venerable Emperor William l. Bismarck
attempted in 1873 ruthessly to stamp out Socialism
His legislation sharply prohibited the propaga-
ton of Socialist views in literature, journalism or
puoLC ulScuSSlOn; authorized the police to sup
press all Sociastic meetings and sociaIistic publica-
tons; and empowered them summarily to av4eu
and punish Socialists who refused to obey the legis
laton.
1t was the most drastic and severe legislation
which Germany had known since suppression of the
Revolution of 1913 if not since the days of Meter
Mich.
on top Of this Bismarck attempted to undermine
Socialism by gaining the gratitude of the German
working classes From 1881 to 1890 he passed ex-
tensve legislation providing for workngmen's in
Surance and protection o. factory workers
He hoped that this would withdraw the LOYALTY
OF the working classes from the Socialists and turn
1t toward the imperial government
But he was disappointed sadly. Socialism only
grew stronger and better organized. When he be-
gan his repressive legislation, the Socialists had
twelve seats in the rechstag AS soon as the Iegisa
ton was suspended in $780, they secured forty-four
seats in the next election
BY 1912 they had the largest representation in
the relchStag OF any single Germany party Neither
Strongarm methods advanced social legislation
sut11ced to allay the resentment caused bv the
measures of persecution.