OONQRESSES
243
CONGRESSES
to participate. The intention was to form a central
point for the CathoUc movement of Western Europe
and to give it a perpetual organization, making it an
international movement, so that in the future Catho-
lics of all nations could work together. The chief
organizer of the preparatorj' plans was Ducpetiau.ic.
The first Belgian congress was held at Mechlin, 18-22
August. IStJ.J, and was a great success. The most
prominent champions of the Church in Europe at-
tended the Belgian Congresses: Montalembert, Prince
Albert de Broglie, Cardinals Wiseman and Manning,
the two Reichenspergers and Kolping, the Abb(5 Mer-
millod; representing the United States were Bishop
Fitzpatrick, of Boston, and L. Silliman Ives, of New
York. Reports on the Catholic life and work of
every country were presented: much time was de-
voted to the discussion of social questions, and decided differences of opinion were expressed. The
most brilliant success was achieved by two discourses
by Montalembert on " A Free Church in a Free State."
A second congress took place in September of the
next year, and the Intention was to hold yearly meet-
ings; but already the first clouds of internal conflict
among Catholics began to appear. According to their
views on political liberalism and modern science,
men's minds drifted apart. Henceforth Catholics
could not be gathered together for a common meeting.
The only later congress was held at Mechlin in 1867;
the Swiss assemblies also ceased after a short time,
so that soon the German Catholic Congresses were
the only large assemblies of the kind. At the Bam-
berg Congress, 1868, a standing Central Committee
was formed, which gave a permanent form of organi-
zation to the German Catholic gathering.
Development in France. — Towards the end of the sixties a third period of progressive development began, due to the increasing interest of Catholics in social problems and the growth of the spirit of asso- ciation among Catholic workmen. In Belgium, in 1867, it was decided to form a union of all workmen's associations in order to systematize their develop- ment and growth. A standing committee was formed, and a first congress was called to meet at Mons in 1871. Its object was to strengthen and aid the move- ment for organization among worldngmen, and at the same time to give it a Christian character and to en- able workingmen to make their ^■iews and wishes effec- tive. The work grew rapidly in importance; up to 1875 the president was Clement Bivort, and over 50,- 000 workingmen were coimected with it. The most successful congress was that held in 1875 at Mechlin. After this, the oi^anization declined, partly it would seem, because, instead of following purely practical economic ends, under French influence politics were introduced ; so much weight was laid on the religious element that social interests did not receive their due, because the members were not agreed as to the inter- vention of the State in socio-economic acti\nties, and because sufficient consideration was not given to the growing independence of workingmen. A Catholic workingmen's movement also sprang up in the great German industrial region of the Ixjwer Rhine; this did not grow into a national convention, but it exerted its influence at the meetings of the general Catholic Congress, especially at the one held at Diisseldorf, 1869. In France there was formed an " Union des as- sociations ouvrieres catholiques" for the purpose of promoting all Catholic efforts and "to develop a race of Christian workingmen's families for the Church and State".
The first congress of this association was held at Nevers, 1871, but it never grew to much importance, although a permanent central office was founded, and special committees were appointed to encourage sports, clubs for study, etc. The association laid un- due stress on the cultivation of religious life, and did nothing to develop social economics in connexion with
politics and but little for the class interests of work-
ingmen ; it was hardly more than a confraternity. In
Northern France it succeeded owing to personal influ-
ence. The "Cercles d'ouvriers catholiques, founded
by the Comte de Mun in 187.3, were much more suc-
cessful. De Mun desired to unite in these cerrles the
best mechanical and agricultural labourers, to bring
them under the influence of educated practical Cath-
olic gentlemen, so that, led by the latter, the work-
ingmen might exert a social and political influence in
the world of labour. At the same time he wished the
organization to frame and advocate a distinct plan of
social reforms. From 1875 the work of advocating
reforms fell chiefly to the annual sessions which were
composed of the delegates of the "Secretariates" of
the circles, the deputies from all the circles of the
province, and Catholic dignitaries who were inter-
ested in social questions. The sessions for delibera-
tion had an average attendance of from three to four
hundred members, and the public meetings were often
attended by several thousand persons. The assem-
blies were managed by the Comte de Mun, assisted by
the Marquis de la Tour du Pin, M. de la Guillonni^re,
and M. Florroy. These meetings and the work of the
various circles first spread among French CathoUca
correct conceptions of social problems. The practi-
cal social results became, however, gradually smaller.
With the help of the congress De Mun gradually
worked out a complete social programme; by means
of industrial associations, with perfect freedom of or-
ganization, laws were to be obtained granting to the
working classes proper representation in the poUtical
bodies of the country, effective measures were to be
taken to aid workmen by means of insurance and the
regulation of wages, their corporal and mental well-
being were to be protected by Sunday rest, hmitation
of working-hours, etc. ; compulsory arbitration in dis-
putes between masters and workmen was to be legally
enforced. The programme is noteworthy because it
included reform of taxation, and also Ijecause it aimed
to aid agricultural labourers as well as mechanics.
De Mun's main mistake was, that he refused on prin-
ciple to allow the workingmen to organize independ-
ently, and f>ermitted only organizations common to
workingmen and employers. Although apparently
the congresses just described and the societies con-
nected with them were the proofs of the growth in
strength of the economic movement, yet in their first
development they did not advance far enough to be
able to impress their character upon the Catholic con-
gresses of the third period. This was defined by the
further growth of the general Catholic conventions.
After the successful settlement of the differences in the
Church by the Vatican Council, in consequence of the
Kulturkampf, the German Catholic Congresses re-
gained their former importance with a religious enthu-
siasm never before witnessed. At the same time the
French Catholics also started general congresses.
During the siege of Paris by the Germans, a com- mittee had been formed in the city to protect Catho- lic interests against the danger from anti-religious and revolutionary sects. In a circular of 25 August, 1872, this committee proposed that all forms of Catholic associations of the country and all French Catholic organizations should create a general representative body for the purpose of defending their common in- terests. This circular led to the convening of the first "Congres des comites catholiques " at Paris, 1872, and the sessions of this body were held annually imtil 1892. They were originally presided over by M. BaiUoud, their founder, afterwards by Senator Chcsne- long. The congress, divided into different sections, busied itself with purely religiotis questions, with teaching, education, the press, and social subjects. A large part of the attention of these assemblies was given to the non-governmental schools, and much was done for them. On the other hand, the incessant
