STOCKTON ECONOMIC CLASS.

Grey River Argus, 7 June 1922, Page 3

STOCKTON ECONOMIC CLASS.

(By Secretary Friend). Thu usual good attendance was in evidence at our last Sunday morning meeting, ; nd, the subject for discussion was “The Gens Among the Celts and Germans.” When st inlying our previous lesson we saw how the depopulation of Rome was effected, and how the Romans’ successors (the Germans) rejuvenated the then Slavish states. In studying the Iroquois Gens (American Iml inns) we saw how the g i ns were still in existence up to the time of civilisation .i.<?.. the tune of learning a wider use of products, writing and of manufacture. also the development of art. The studies went to show in Ireland, the oldest Celtic laws show us undoubtedly the gens even to this day. In Scotland the gons were in full force until the middle of the .I>th century, ami we saw how they succumbed, after having come in contact with the weapons, laws and courts of the English. In Wales, during the 11th century, collective agriculture was in force among whole villages, livery family had live acres for its special use. Another lot was at the same time cultivated collectively ami its yield divided among the different families. By tlu* Welsh and Irish laws, we accept it as proven that the I'airing family i.e., (a certain pairing for an indefinite period) had nut given way to monogamy (one man one woman > during the J l‘.h century. In Wales a marriage did not become capable of being dissolved by divorce decrees, unless the parties cohabiting had lived together over seven years, liven if three days were lacking to make up the seven years, the parties could separate without applying for divorces. Of three children, the man took two, the wenan one, viz., the second child. When a woman left the “path of virtue,” her husband had the right to beat her. (Some men even to-day can claim ‘.hat wife-beating is Hot a lost art!) Ihe marriage laws (T the American Indians seem strict in comparison to the Celtic, but Engels hays: —“This is md suprising, when we remember that the Celts were still living in group marriage,” i.e.. a number of males married to a number of tomales, at Caesar’s time. 1- is remarkable that in Ireland in the thirties, a great majority of inhabitants of the County' of Monaghan had only tour family' names, i.e., they were descended from four gentes or tribes (clans). In Scotland we get many indications of gens society. The royal family of the Picts who according to Beda, observed female lineage <a survival of the Punaluan family.) had been preBcrved among the Scots as among the Welsh. The Germans were organised in gentes up to the time of the great migrations. We have Caesar s wold lot it, that the Germans settled down in gentes ami kins. Tacitus tells us that, in battle, the fighters were organised by gentes. Again lacitus is decisive The mother's brother regards his nephew as his son. Here we have very definite proof of Hie matriarchal (Mother law i and hence natural, gens, and it is described as characteristic mark of the Germans. After Caesar’s time, “Leagues of Tribes” came into existence. Suine tribes had kings. Jfeiv we find the usurper gradually getting :i footing. They were quietly undermining the gens, and. us a

we see how the Ivings- iciniue..-. were formerly slaves in the Boman Empire, gained favour, rank ami lion- [ our (?) and eventually in <h" state, and through the state, and th.aim stone to monarchy. To-day capitalism 1 the state, heralds of evil by fostering royalty. Bobbery became their life mission. War leadership was the stepping has practically coerced the world. What will happen when the “magic wand” of capitalism has touched the vellou races? Great progress in the mean of uroduction bus been made

since the days of Greece and Romo. And here we pause! Il is of interest to us, as Socialists, to knok if the time when there was no “class struggle we shall be able to understand the conditions under which it will die. .May if have a grand funeral—soon! Peace is a phantom whilst capitalism ] as ts—yes in spite of all the Genoa’s and H agues. The hope of the world is an organised working-class, and then the biullicrliood of man.