The  same  interest  in  the  efforts  of  labour  to  enlarge  its
knowledge  is  not  always  shown  by  the  public  authorities.  A
short  time  ago  one  of  the  best  known  popular  educators  of  tho
Socialist  party  in  Berlin  undertook  to  give  at  Potsdam  a  course
of  lectures  on  jurisprudence,  and  an  announcement  to  that  effect
appeared  in  the  Press.  Before  the  day  appointed  for  the  first
lecture  he  received  a  notice  from  the  Potsdam  Provincial  Govern-
ment informing  him  that  "  in  order  to  the  giving  of  such
instruction  the  sanction  of  the  school  supervisory  authorities
is  necessary  in  accordance  with  a  Cabinet  Order  of  June  10,
1834,"  and  as  that  sanction  had  not  been  given  the  lectures
might  not  be  held.  This  ancient  Cabinet  Order  preceded  by
seventeen  years  the  issue  of  the  Prussian  constitution  declaring
that  "science  and  its  teaching  are  free."  Moreover,  the  Order
referred  unquestionably  to  the  imparting  of  instruction  to  youth
in  ordinary  schools,  and  was  intended  to  check  the  establishment
of  unlicensed  private  schools.  Nevertheless,  there  was  no
remedy  against  the  arbitrary  forcing  of  a  obsolete  regulation,  and
the  lectures  were  not  given.  In  the  same  way  a  kindergarten
lately  established  by  the  Socialists  at  Charlottenburg  was  closed
by  the  police  authority,  and  on  appeal  being  made  to  the  Govern-
ment the  act  was  justified  by  the  provisions  of  a  Ministerial
Decree  going  back  to  1839.
