RIOTS IN GERMANY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2325, 3 March 1892, Page 2

RIOTS IN GERMANY.

The condition of Germany at the present time appears to be anything but satisfactory. Fifty thousand people are starving in Berlin, and immense numbers have resorted to rioting, which is the only means the poor have of making their grievances known. Rioting denotes an unhealthy condition of society. Well-to-do people never resort to sueh an expediency, for nothing but oppression and injustice can drive a nation to adopt violent measures such as the starving poor of Berlin have resorted to. The fact is that all Europe is at the present time reduced to a terrible state of misery through having to support such immense standing armies, i We in these colonies think it too much *o support a few policemen, but on the Continent of Europe there are over 3,000,000 of men kept constantly under arras, and these, of course, hayp to be supported out of the taxes collected from the people. The result is that the people are kept poor, but the worst feature of all is that the evil is one not easily remedied. The fact is, the European Powers dare not lessen the numerical strength of their armies : first, because they could not trust each other; and, second, because they could not trust their own people. All Europe at the present time is honey-combed with secret societies working patiently and diligently with the view of establishing systems of Government more in sympathy with the people than those which at present exist, and nothing is keep* ing them in check except the military forces at the command of the Govern* ments. This is particularly the case as regards Germany; there the socialistic doctrine has secured a firm hold on the minds of large numbers of the people, and these ape only awaiting their opportunity to effect changes. The present outbreak does not appear to be of socialistic origin : it looks more like the despairing efforts of starving men to make their wants heard, but any movement which in any way menaces constituted 1

authority nowadaj'S is at once characterised as socialistic. We cannot even change the incidence of’ taxation in this colony without being branded as socialists, and it is so on the continent of Europe. Socialism is used as a term of reproach, signifying everything that is bad and wicked. It is thus frequently applied to discredit laudable enterprises by the enemies of progress and of human liberty, but it does not mean anything of the kind. The true socialist aims at improving the condition of society by legislative means, but has no thoughts of resorting to violence. The anarchist, on the contrary, would destroy everything, kill, murder, annihilate regardless of all consequences. His weapons are bombs, dynamite, greek-fire, and so on, and it is this ruffian who gives socialism a bad name. All Europe is honey-combed at present with societies of this nature, and consequently it is probable that before long serious disturbances may be witnessed there.