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THE SOCIALISM OF TO-DAY. 
the labour question; they would thus have more chance of 
escaping repression and of attaining some practical results. 
After much discussion, it was decided that “social emancipa 
tion was inseparable from political emancipation ; ” and they 
accordingly sent delegates to the Congress of Peace and 
Liberty, which was at that moment sitting at Geneva. 
The old revolutionary spirit, which believes that everything 
can be settled by a few bold strokes, and which has no idea 
of the difficulties presented by social questions, predominated 
at this congress. These old-fashioned Jacobins let loose the 
storms, provoke reactions, and thus retard the economic 
progress, that is to say, the improvement of the lot of the 
greatest number, which is the important thing to attain. 
The rapid extension of the International in France alarmed 
the Imperial Government, and prosecutions were commenced. 
In March, 1868, a certain number of the leaders were con 
demned, but only to a fine of one hundred francs, for the 
offence of having joined, not a secret, but an unauthorized 
society. The speech of the public prosecutor was full of 
indulgence and even sympathy ; for the Imperial Government 
still hoped to rally the working men to its side. The only 
effect of this appearance of repression was to attract attention 
to the International and to make it more popular. “ Govern 
ment persecution," said the Council-General a short time after 
wards, “ far from killing the International, has given it a new 
impetus, by putting an end to the unwholesome coquetting 
of the empire with the working class." In Germany, too, the 
Association made rapid progress at this period. A great many 
trades unions (Gewerk-Vereine) were established there. In 
the month of August an assembly of the representatives of 
one hundred and twenty working men’s societies took place 
at Nuremberg, and they decided to affiliate themselves to the 
International. It also penetrated into Spain. In Switzerland 
its popularity spread widely, because it had enabled some 
bricklayers at Geneva to obtain increased wages. 
The third congress met at Brussels, at the Circus Theatre, 
from the 5th to the nth of September, 1868. Ninety-eight dele 
gates represented England, France, Germany, Belgium, Italy,