142 
THE SOCIALISM OF TO-DAY. 
sentiments.—Peasant associations. They are divided into 
two principal groups : that of Bavaria, whose organ is the 
Bauernzeitung, and that of Westphalia, whose paper is called 
the Westfalischer Bauer. The Bavarian group must count 
twenty thousand members. In the reunion of the Westphalian 
group, held during the summer of 1878, under the presidency 
of Baron von Schorlemer-Alst, the total of twelve thousand 
members was reached, including two thousand adhesions 
obtained that year.—Christian Social associations. They 
receive members from all classes, as their object is simply to 
discuss the social question and to propagate the movement. 
They have spread everywhere, and the number of their 
members is very large.—Catholic aid-associations for working 
men. They make loans without interest.—Catholic associations 
for maidservants and workwomen. — Catholic savings and 
credit associations, under the patronage of St. Joseph or St. 
Boniface, framed on the model of those of Herr Schulze- 
Delitzsch.—Working men’s associations for production. These 
are not numerous.—Associations for diffusing literature on the 
social question from the Catholic point of view.—Building 
societies.—Catholic associations for the wives and daughters of 
working men, etc., etc. The whole movement is represented 
by a great number of newspapers. The two best and most 
influential are, for Northern Germany, the Christlich-Sociale 
Blaetter, published at Aix-la-Chapelle under the management 
of Herr Sellings; and for Southern Germany, the Arbeiter- 
Freund, which appears at Munich under the direction of Herr 
Schimpf. 
If we enter into somewhat minute details, it is to show 
the power of the Catholic Socialists. The strength of this 
party in the Imperial Parliament increases at each election, 
and it has become one of the principal factors of German 
politics, the effects of which are felt throughout Europe. Its 
influence will enable us to understand better why Prince 
Bismarck, if he has not yet “gone to Canossa,” has at any rate 
permitted the Pope’s nuncio to come to Kissingen. The 
alliance of Democratic and Catholic Socialism is evidently the 
principal danger that threatens the whole work of the chan-