118 THE UTOPIAN COMMUNIST
whose sentimental aberrations in the Volkstribun infuriated Marx,
perhaps even more than Weitling's Utopianism. He accused the
youthful editor of violating communist principles by endorsing
land reform, of giving away his paper instead of selling it, and of
accepting money from the bourgeoisie of New York. Weitling
alone refused to sign the circular letter which was prepared to
read Kriege out of the party. Copies of the document went to
England, France, Germany, and the United States, however, and
the indictment was published in the Westfalische Dampfboot.
Weitling insisted that Kriege must be allowed a reasonable amount
of freedom to adapt his techniques to American conditions. The
resolutions of censure appeared in the Volkstribun, together with
Kriege's reply. The latter was inclined to blame Engels rather than
Marx for his difficulties.
Moses Hess, the "communist rabbi," had not been present at
this critical meeting, but when informed of what had happened
he expressed sympathy for Weitling. Eventually he broke with
both Engels and Marx, writing to the latter, "With you personally
I would still like to associate, but I want nothing more to do with
your party."^20 Weitling received some support from letters that
came from London. He wrote promptly to Kriege to give his
version of the break with Marx, and in this letter he represented
the attack on the New York editor as really an attack on himself.
He honestly believed that the charge of "reactionary" which was
leveled against him was intended primarily to rid the Brussels
group of a dangerous competitor. Weitling formally proclaimed
the Volkstribun as a proper organ for the spread of communist
doctrine, and deplored all attempts to sow dissension between
European and American communists. This letter also was re
printed promptly in Kriege's paper, along with a new statement
elucidating the power of love in the affairs of men. In a fury,
Engels wrote to Marx "about the infamy of brother Weitling"
and repudiated all connections with the "warm brotherliness,"
"gentleness," and "meekness" of prophets of this kind.^21 The anti-
(^20) Mayer, Engels, I, 249.
(^21) Bebel and Bernstein (eds.), Briefwechsel, Engels und Marx, I, 49-50.