The Washington herald., 1909-04-11

OONtOkOS AN6Es
A volume Of statistics on the family IN
the United States. now being issued by
the Census Bureau. shows that the size
of the average family has decreased from
5.S persons in 1880 10 IS in the same area
for 1900
With its April , issue the weekly organ
Of the New York Charity Organization So
ciety changed its name from Charities
and the Commons" 20 the Survey" with
the subtitle Social. Charitable. Civic %
The old name had proved a stumbling
block 10 new readers. who failed TO see
the wider scope of the work represented
by this journal In the current issue Of
the Survey Editor Devine shows how
various social institutions have been per-
verted Just as Florence Nightingale an
nOunced 10 the world the obvious truth
that hospitals should not make people
sick. so DR.. Devine declares that "the
police system should not create hostility
toward the representatives OF law and
order; that charity should not make pau
peTs- that industry should not make work
ers unemployable; that the school should
not make its pupils inefficient, and that
churches should not create an infiner~
ence TO religion" And vet he shows very
clearly that all OF these institutions are
so perverted in practice.
Operate Inpresario HammeZstein gave
up his announced intention OF producing
Salons" in Boston. after Gov. Draper
and the local head Of the Catholic church
had protested. and Mayor Hibbard had
declared that he would prevent the pro-
duction Of the Wilde-Strauss opera.
Sixty prominent business and profess
sional women Of Boston have organized
20 induce the State 20 aid IN the purchase
OF small tracts OF land near TO large
cities where the 10000 surplus widows
and spinsters Of Massachusetts, may SUD-
port themselves with truck gardening.
The organization will be called the Wom-
ems Massachusetts Homestead Associa-
ton.
At the last meeting called by the New
York council OF the National Civic Fed
Grafton. four legal experts made addresses
touching on the relations Of labor and
capital One OF these. r. D. Silllman. OF
New York. told OF his correspondence
with Judge Taft last summer. quoting
from letter written by Taft. as follows:
I am convinced by long thought over
II that cOmpulsiOn OF third persons
against their viii is the nub or the Of
fense Of bOycOtting. which is an iustru-
mcut OF tyranny thar must be met with
a weapon adequate 10 IT'S suppression. q"
President GOmpers. OF the Federation OF
Labor. who happened 70 be present.
though not on the list OF speakers. made
a hot retOTt 10 the lawyers. and asked
II they had grudge against Taft that
he should be so often quoted against Ia
hor- GOmpers SAID the men OF labor are
not in love with the strike and the boy
colt, and that they were trying To bring
them 90 the lowest minimum: but he
added; God help the working people n
the power 10 strike were taken away
from. them. He went on % argue that
every mans patronage is HIS own.
In view Of the recent discussion OF
socialism by Afr- Roosevelt ard by his
critics a new essay by r. C. Wells. the
English fctionist. on the subject Of So
cialism and the family CThe Ball Pub
fishing Company. Is Of peculiar interest
as Wells IS now recognized as leader OF
Socialist thought IN England. While re-
pudiating absolutely the charge thai
either EnglAsh OF American Socialists
counsel anything that might be termed
free love, Wells does believe that the
time has now come for plain speaking
about the inevitable changes in the fam
ily relations 20 be expected under the
Socialist regime. Under existing condi-
strike against paTe1taEe and the fact
that families are becoming smaller. and
that an increasing number IN the middle
class are avoiding marriage altogether.
He finds that the middle class woman IS
becoming discOntented and is beginning
20 think. whereas the wife OF the past
was caught younger. so that she had no
time 10. think about anything but bearing
babies. He regards this discomfort as an
available force for Socialism. Irrespec-
tive OF Socialism. he says "the modern
tendency IS toward an amount Of con-
troll over the function OF reproduction
greater than that exercised by the state
and public usage to-day. Essentially. the
Socialist position is he declares. a denial
Of property in human beings, which In
cIudes women and children. and it does
propose TO abolish the patriarchial family.
Men and women are TO be equal in cid
zenship, and the state IS TO be the over
parent. which will pay people for the
service OF rearing children well Social
ism, says Wells. denies the right OF any
one 10 beget children carelessly and
promiscuously.