Montana news. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1904-191?, 1908-12-17

1t is true (and what answer have
here the opponents to women suf-
frage?) that among the mammals
motherhood came into the world long
before fatherhood; but all along the
line there are evidences that the ca
pacity of any given species To survive
In the jungle has been in striking re-
lation TO the development OF the male
parents sense of duty towards the
mate and her young, and, II may be
added. Of his duty towards his fellow
mates.
But whittier is my argument tend
ing2 To the suggestion that the
children have been humanltys best
teachers-that the struggle to provide
them with what they need for life has
been the school in which fathers and
mothers have discovered the necessity
of the Socialist state.
Baby ape attains his maturity I'm
few short months.
Baby man, when father and mother
love has had the economic power to
fulfil itself, has been declared IAN in
fant" during twenty-one years of life.
Hitherto that full right of protection
and sustenance OF their young has only
belonged to the upper and middle
classes, and this has often been greatly
hindered of its ennobling influence by
the evil foundation of the home in
loveless marriage, and the lack of mu-
tual service engendered by luxury and
privilege.
Socialism now steps forward to de-
mand a like opportunity of complete
sustenance and preparation, both of
body and mind, for life in the
twentieth century of their sons and
daughters for every parent. To prove
that this is possible by principles of
mutual aid, collectively applied TO in
dustry and only so possible, is the
chief work of Socialists today.
But" 1 hear the anti Socialists cry
in chorus, you Socialists are every
where demanding the maintena nee OF
the children by the state!"
To that / have only to reply that
such a demand is necessary today, be-
cause in tens of thousands of instances
capitalism has destroyed the home.
Socialists recognize that IL the home
less children of our land are ever to
become capable Of home-building In
the future. those who have known
what the joy of home life means, must
feed and educate them.
But-and let the Socialists never
forget this-state interference with the
results of capitalist individualism, al
though absolutely necessary today
is not only not Socialism, il is often
not even in line with our Socialist
ideal. In no respect is this distinc-
ton more necessary than i'm the much
"A ~ m n
children"
Under this head ii must be con-
fessed that Socialism has suffered
much at the hands of a few desperate
ly clever people-for the most part
childles men and women-who simply
don't know what they are talking
about. They have been too rude to
us mothers to make it necessary for me
to mince words in the matter. For
their sakes and for the sakes of those
whom their detached sentences may
have misled, ! venture to assert, with
out fear of contradiction from any
happy father and mother in the land,
that state maintenance of children,
as opposed to their home maintenance.
is alien to the whole history, hope and
spirit of Socialism.
For see to what a monstrous suppO-
sition the stray supporters of univer-
sal state maintenance of children as
Socialist ideaf would fondly lead us.
They suggest that the delight of faith
ers and mothers i'm their children. and
their solicitude for their well-being
will grow less strong when love-
matches are the rule, when women are
educated as well as men. and the
children born are wanted" and not
"regrettable accidents" To those who
have any experience of the home-life
which has grown out of such condi-
tions, either in our own day or any
other. the suggestion is simply ludi
crOus. Never. I venture to assert, In
the history of the human race has the
sense of possession in, or better. of re.
sponsibility for their children attained
to fiercrr heat of emotion than
| among those fully-developed, hard
working fathers and mothers i'm our
midst whose parCnthood has been of
free choice. conscious and deliberate.
Furthermore (and that is the clmaS
of my argument), IL is a. Is very force
this new heat of emotion that is max
ing the hideous uncertainties Of a
competitive state of society simply au
intolerable torture.
The race has evolved its highest
type of fatherhood and motherhood.
and as yet has made no provision for
the satisfaction of its soul.
The anaemic children of the de-
graded father and mother of the slum
may be able to endure the appalllngly
stupid and brutally unnecessary, as
well as unjust. poverty of today.
Here and there a poor, "breastless
mother"-surely the most pathetic
| figure of all the ages-the upgrown
cdildworker who was herself robbed
| by capitalism I'm her own day of her
mothers care and tenderness, and
now knows not what the mingled Joy
and care of motherhood means-no,
not even so much as the beasts of the
| field or the dog that licks her poor
ork-hardened hand-she, l repeat,
may perchance rejoice in the thought
| OF complete state maintenance for
| her unwelcomed children. The same
may be true of the up-grown neg
II