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 434 THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGY

all, promise was made that there should be no plans in the future for special legislation against laborers." (2) " To guard the peace between employers and employes, legal provisions should be adopted with reference to the forms in which the laborers should be authorized to take part in regulation of affairs of common concern, through representatives who enjoy their confidence, and also with reference to their consideration of their interest in transactions with the employers and with the organs of my government."

Herewith is the right promised to the laborers of cooperation with the employers in closing labor contracts, and particularly through the use of representatives " who enjoy their confidence ; " that is, who have been chosen by the laborers themselves. The right of the labor organizations to take part in settling the terms of the labor contract is here unequivocally expressed. Accord- ingly the Kaiser at that time placed himself on the side of the laborer with reference to the two chief demands, namely, for protective laws and for freedom of combination.

Following the above-mentioned imperial rescript to the min- ister of commerce, there was a circular letter of the ecclesiastical authorities of Prussia to the clergy. The church council (^Ober- kirchenrai) of Berlin called upon its pastors to address themselves to the study of the labor question, to attend meetings of the people, and to oppose themselves to "the godless and faithless Social Democracy ; " and, furthermore, to call into existence asso- ciations of laborers on an evangelical basis. In the same year (1890) the Evangelical Social Congress was established by theo- logians and professors of national economy. This organization undertook the task "of making fruitful the forces of faith and love dormant in evangelical Christian society, to the end that social evils might be remedied." In a word, there prevailed in the widest circles the warmest enthusiasm for helping the laborers, for supporting them in their struggles against suffering and oppression, for satisfying their demands for worthy life and just

'On October i, 1890, the socialist law expired, which during the twelve years previous had placed the Social Democracy, and therewith the labor organizations, under special legislation.