GERMAN SOCIALISTS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1596, 13 November 1912, Page 3

GERMAN SOCIALISTS.

■ . —r~-V;- ■ " ;■■ SPIRIT .■ OP INTOLERANCE. ; Tho annual congress of. the .German. Socialists was brought to a close afrChem* nitz on September .21, .with a proceeding very eharacteiistie of policies, in '.this 'country (writes the Berlin correspondent of the "Daily Telegraph")' Benihard Hildebi-and) one of the most thoughtful hjads in the party, had, in a. book and in a lecture, ventured to say something in favour of the Colonies, ' Militarism, and Agrarian protection. His pronouncements were anything but dogmatic s in character. They were rather the. tentative and speculative.; reflections' of.. a. scientific mind. But even such slight' deviations from tho path of pure Marxism, as this is expressed in the Socialist party programme, were enough to bring; down upon him a formal charge of unpardonable heresy. A local decrea for his expulsion from the ranks of the .faithful was confirmed by the central tribune set up to ■ deal with such matters, and, being dissatisfied with this ruling, he demanded a decision by the annual conference, the final court of appeal. Ho urged upon, his judges that ho was in .all essentials a Socialist, and that if he were' expelled there was no other party in which ho could taljo refuge. His pleas were ably, seconded by AVolfgang Heine,' the. hiost trenchant intellect on tho extreme left of the Reichstag, and applauded by (lie. moderates of tho parly, who go under tliß name of Revisionists. But all was in vain. German Socialists are as intolerant of freedom of thought and as Procrustean hi their discipline as tho Government which they attack on these, very, grounds, and the expulsion of Hcrr Hihlebnuid was decreed by a majority of about two to one. .