Decembeb, 12, 1884.] 



SCIENCE. 



535 



of the k democratic federation,' and at least 

 three periodicals of a radically socialistic na- 

 ture are supported, — viz., the monthly To- 

 day, and the weeklies Justice and Christian 

 socialist, — while Hyndman's books, ' England 

 for all,' ' The historical basis of socialism,' 

 etc., have certainly attracted wide discussion, 

 as have also the contributions of the poet 

 Morris to the literature of socialism. Ameri- 

 can socialistic movements likewise receive 

 entirety inadequate attention ; and the im- 

 pression is conveyed that there is practical- 

 ly no American socialism, — a most radical 

 error. 



One of the peculiarities of modern socialism 

 is its unexpectedness wherever it makes its ap- 

 pearance. This is brought out in several places 

 by Mr. Rae. Referring to German socialism, 

 on p. 61 he says, "Professor Lorenz von 

 Stein of Vienna, . . . who wrote an acute 

 and thoughtful book on French communism in 

 1842, says in that work, that Germany, unlike 

 France, and particularly England, had nothing 

 to fear from socialism because Germany had no 

 proletariate to speak of. Yet in twenty years 

 we find German}' become suddenly the theatre 

 of the most important and formidable embodi- 

 ment of socialism that has anywhere appeared. ' ' 

 This is a correct statement. Again and again 

 it was said that communism was a French 

 disease, from which Germany had nothing to 

 fear ; as her peace-loving, laborious, frugal, and 

 contented laborers could never become infected 

 with the poison of discontent. Now, to use a 

 socialistic phrase, she leads the labor battalions 

 of the world. Less than ten years since, 

 Englishmen boasted that socialism was a conti- 

 nental plague, from which the free institutions 

 of England, and the manty, self-reliant char- 

 acter of her sons, forever exempted the British 

 Isle : now it is doubtful whether socialism has 

 anywhere a more respectable following, and 

 even the government is influenced by socialistic 

 ideas. A tinge of socialism is diffusing itself 

 over the institutions of England, the classic 

 land of laissez-faire. And in America how 

 proud has been our self-confidence ! With 

 what satisfaction have we pointed to our broad 

 prairies, offering homes to all ! With what con- 

 tentment have we talked about the prosperity 

 of the American laborer ! With what scorn have 

 we referred to the pauper labor of Europe ! 

 Surety no sane man could expect a social 

 disease like socialism in the United States. 

 But here it is, and it is nowhere making more 

 rapid strides. The proof of this is on every 

 hand. It is but necessary to open one's eyes, 

 and watch the movements of the laboring 



classes. Their parades, mottoes, labor-unions, 

 newspapers, conventions, and congresses tell 

 the tale ; but of all these, Rae has little or 

 nothing to say. 



The book is timely, and it is unfortunate 

 that our author did not do himself better 

 justice in a more carefully prepared treatise. 



THE FACE OF THE EARTH. 



Das antlitz der erde. By E. Suess. Abteilung i. 

 Leipzig, Freylag, 1883. 310 p., illustr. 4°. 



Dr. Eduard Suess of Vienna, well known 

 among geological readers for his original writ- 

 ings on the structural relations of earthquake 

 disturbances and on mountain building, has in 

 preparation a more general work on the ' Face 

 of the earth,' in which he attempts, b}~ a 



OVERTURNED FOLD IN THE MAMRANG PASS. 



critical review of recent studies, to correct a 

 number of surviving errors, and prepare the 

 groundwork for an unprejudiced view of dy- 

 namical geology. The first part of the work, 

 already published, contains a discussion of mo- 

 tions in the outer crust of the earth, and of 

 the structure and course of some of the larger 



