nization of the party, to discuss party policies, and to take
action upon questions submitted by the party members. Nominally, the
principles of the party are those of Karl Marx, and its platform is
the "Erfurt programme" of 1891, contemplating the abolition of class
government and of classes themselves, the termination of every kind of
exploitation of labor and oppression of men, the destruction of
capitalism, and the inauguration of an economic regime under which the
production and distribution of goods shall be controlled by the state
exclusively. The Radical Socialists, i.e., the old-line members of the
party, cling to these time-honored articles of faith. But the mass of
the younger element of the party, ably led by Edward Bernstein--the
"Revisionists," as they call themselves--consider that the Marxist
doctrines are in numerous respects erroneous, and they are insisting
that the Erfurt programme shall be overhauled and brought into (p. 240)
accord with the practical and positive spirit of the party to-day.
Except Bebel and Kautsky, every socialist leader of note in Germany at
the present time is identified with the revisionist movement.[349] The
political significance of this situation arises from the fact that the
"new socialists" stand ready to co-operate systematically with
progressive elements of whatsoever name or antecedents. Already the
socialists of Baden, Wuerttemberg, and Bavaria have voted for the local
state budgets and have participated in court functions, and upon
numerous occasions they have worked hand in hand, not only at
elections but in the Reichstag and in diets and councils, with the
National Liberals and the Radicals. For the future of sane liberalism
in Germany this trend of the party in the direction of co-operative
and constructive effort augurs well. At the annual congress held at
Chemnitz in September, 1912, the issue of revisionism was debated at
length and with much feeling, but an open breach within the party was
averted and Herr Bebel was again elected party president. It was shown
upon this occasion that the party membership numbered 970,112, a gain
of 133,550 during the previous year. It need hardly be observed that
of the millions of men who in these days vote for Social Democratic
candidates for office hardly a fourth are identified with the formal
party organization.[350]

[Footnote 349: Herr Bebel died August 13, 1913.]

[Footnote 350: