GERMAN CATHOLICS AND SOCIALISM.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XIX, Issue 21, 20 February 1891, Page 27

GERMAN CATHOLICS AND SOCIALISM.

(Prom the Catholic Columbian.) As already announced, the German Catholics under the presidency of Prince Loewenatein, have just formed a " Peoples' League " ( Volkitverein), with the object of meeting the menacing advance of tocialistic doctrines and propaganda in the Empire. The following is a translation of the Manifesto issued by the League, and signed oy Dr. Windthorst and all the chief Cithohc leaders : "To the German Catholic people — " Grave errors and dangerous revolutionary tendencies are showing themselves on all sides. Social order and the established monarchial order are threatened in their very foundations, Socialism not only preaches these errors i but endeavours to put them into practice. In fact Socialism feels that the Catholic population of Germany is the most formidable adversary of these errors and tendencies. Hence, in their Congress at Halle, the Socialists declared open war against Catholicism. It is, therefore, urgently necessary to repulsa the enemy with our forces united and well-organised. For this purpose Catholics from all parts of Germany have several times met together. They have decided to organise a OathoKc League, the object of which is to combat revolutionary errors and tendencies on social questions and to defend Christian social order. This end can be obtained only by the personal action of each member, by instructive lectures, and by the propagation of good books and papers. Every German Catholic who is of age may join the League by paying an annual subscription of one shilling. 14 Forward then ! Let us march against the common enemy. Let us form this great League which shall embrace all German counties. This League will organise our forces, increase our resources, direct Catholic action in the Press, in pamphlets, and in popular meetings. We shall thus be organised in the smallest village, in the tiniest hamlet, and we shall be able to combat every where in the cause of truth against socialistic errors. Let «ach member of our Leagne undertake a personal propaganda. The League aims, not only at the refutation of errors and false doctrines, but also at the spread of true principles on social questions. The League desires that both employers of labour and workmen should become more and more convinced of their reciprocal duties, and recognise more and more the solidaiity of their interests. Our bishops, always anxious for the public weal, hava recently in their meetings at Fulda sounded tbe alarm on the subject of the approaching danger. Our union will show the bishops that their appeal has been heird. When the Holy Father hears of our work, his prternal heart will be filled with joy, because the German Catholics have understoo i the needs of a new era and are desirous to meet them by working together for a common good. ' It the German Kmperor, in agreement with the German Princes has abandoned the policy of combating ideas by police measures, he has done so with the full confidence that there i 3 still suffisient Christian spirit in the people to overcome, of its own free action, ileas as dangerous for the Church as for the Btate. Catholics of Germany, let us be the last to abuse this confidence. Gather yourselves together then, Catholic people ! Give a fresh proof of the spirit ot sacrifice and fi lelity to Church <md country. Gither together for the defence of Christian society. Defend the altar and throne, the hearth and the home. Let us all unite together, graat aod small, priests and laity, masters and workmen, to oppose tha enemy tbat menaces us; to instruct the ignorant, to support the feeble, and to enkindle the zeal of the f aithtul. By this means we shall preserve to our people their faith, ani efEiCt a great aid important social action.