The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1904-12-31
SOCIALISM FROM A
WoMAN'S VTEwPoTNJT

In the lively discussion which l. 90
ing on concerning the Socialist prona-
ganda ii Tolld appear that Sonal
nave as deep an interest as mon SIM
they are equal shcrers in social conli
lions. Possibly also their peculiar, func-
lions which lie at the foundation of
all society give them a fully eoual right
TO am expression OF opinion. or sentiment
on the subject.
BY all means the most important
product of human society is the human
infant. Not wheat nor corn. houses nnr
merchandise, stocks nor bonds com
pare with it for moment in import-
auce or value. 1t is in fact for this one
product that Ill others exist. If the I'M
man infant should cease to be prod,Irea
every other social product would at
once lose its value. But i'm the produc-
ton of this incomparably valuable en-
Jity the mother is by far the most i'm
portant factor. SO absorbing i'm her
agency, so eXhausting the draft upon
her every power, physical and mental.
that the common experience of the race
has demonstrated that for her own
good for the good of society and the
welfare Of the child, she ought 10 he
exempted during the period of her ma
temity from the labor necessary TO her
support. Her maternal condition of
rnereIO
a permanent and inalienabIe tax upon
property.
Iu the present social order the father
of the child s held responsible for her
support, and ms capital or labor-the
Ia Dor which IS his capitals pledged
for this purpose. But let us once sup
pose that all property is held collective
ly. then the provision for the support of
the mother and infant must be trans
ferred to the collective power, namely
The state. This is well understood
and openly :.dovcated tenet of social
ism. That il involves the utter destruc-
tiem Of marriage, the home and all pri-
waite interest = children on the part of
the parents, is conceded by such social
list leaders as Marx. Hasenclever,
Hyndman, Bebel and many others.
collective ownership therefore. which
is the kernel Of socialism, can never be
fully discussed without taking into ac-
count this, its ultimate result. 1t stands
iu fundamental and uncompromising
opposition to the present social order
and to the teachings OF Christianity,
and whoever accepS/it must be pre-
pared to go its full length and arrive at
its aVOWed and advocated result.
1t is utterly fahacicuS, therefore to
say that socialism is simply an eco
nomic system. In its far reaching but
inevitable results 1t threatens the whole
basis OF religion and morals, as en-
bodied in Christian civilization. 1t pur-
poses an entire revolution in the cen
structiOn of society, and it is for this
reason that i so justly takes the title
of revolutionary socialism.
The subject, therefore, becomes of
serious Importance to women, and two
questions naturally arise in the conSid-
Grafton of it, The first is economic
Are women prepared to relinquish their
present legally established rights and
privileges in the home for d lien upon
the state? The second is PERSONAL: Are
they willing to give up these rights and
privileges together with the care and
protection Of The father of their chill
dren and the love and companionship
Of the children themselves. in exchange
for the right and obligation to earn
their own living and to vote, with SUCH
humanitarian interest as the state
may manifest i'll their welfare thrown
in?
Such is the Justice" which socialism
proposes to mete out to the mother of
the race. They may be few men who
are willing 20 escape the responsibilities
of family life on such terms, but it
is scarcely TO be wondered at that
women are not coming forward in great
numbers toaccept a proposition which
they feel instinctiVely is fraught with
luin not only to the dearest interest,
ideals and traditions of their sex, but to
the best interests of mankind as we'll
Caroline F. Corbin in Chicago Record
Herald