THE GERMAN SOCIALISTS.

Bush Advocate, Volume XXIII, Issue 310, 13 January 1912, Page 7

THE GERMAN SOCIALISTS.

The German Socialists have now nearly the same number of members in the Reichstag as they had in 1893. From 44 in 1893 the figures rose to 57 in 1898, and to 81 in 1903, falling in 1907 to 43. That was the year when the "big navy" cry of the Kaiser and Prince Buelow succeeded. Now! it is predicted, the Socialist wave will come again. On the issue hangs the question whether the German -Navy Law shall be expanded by the addition of a new building programme as from 1912. And on that in turn depends the 'quest-ion whether Britain also must continue to bear an excessive burden of naval construction. The Socialist representation lias grown from"two members in 1871 to forty-three in 1907, and the number of votes has risen from 124,655 to 3,250,000. In IS7I the Socialists polled 3 per cent of the total number of votes cast; in 1893, they polled 23.3 per cent; and in 1907 one-third of the total number of votes cast. Since 1907 the party has won almost every by-election. A Socialist writer recalls the provisions of the old Exceptional Law passed by Bismarck against the Socialists. ''The Exceptional Law provided, inter alia, for compulsory dissolution of political bodies, and trade unions, dissolution of meetings. prohibition of processions, confiscation and suppression of newspapers and other printed matter, prohibition against members paying subscriptions to the Socialist party or unions, confiscation of all moneys belonging to the Socialist party or unions, forbidding residence in certain localities to Socialists, etc. Berlin wa6 declared to be in a minor state of siege. This law drove the Socialists to more- scientific methods of organisation. They adopted a system under which men were organised in groups of threes, every third man being an organiser. In this way a maximum of safety from police espionage from within was secured, and subscriptions were still received for the party and union funds." The party press was resuscitated, and now number seventy-five daily papers.