New-York tribune., 1909-06-21
"pPOTJSIOy By THE STATE"

The reported utterances Of Chicago phySl-
clan at a congress Of mothers on state proyi-
sion for infants and others involve sharp
though perhaps unintended exposure OF The
fallacy Of the socialist demand for paternaI
government The speaker is reported 70 hare
denied the right Of society to save baby's life
il it does not also provide for its future. or TO
bring children up 10 adolescence and then neg
lect them. adding that It was the business Of
the commonwealth TO take care of children
through their various stages TO maturity. We
do not know that he intended 10 advocate the
extreme socialist policy Of making the state
sort of universal provider, and no doubt there
was much in his contentious and suggestions
which may be heartily approved. But the doc
trine Of universal state provision is one which
cannot be permitted 10 60 without resolute chal-
lenge.
The socialist ideal is to have all infants "a
soon as possible after birth taken in charge by
the state and cared for by state nurses In state
nurseries, cr9ches. kindergartens and what not.
As they grow older they are not only to attend
state schools as at present but are to be uni
formlv clothed and fed by the state OF course
It would be manifest injustice to let this
process stop with the common schools, so it
must he continued through the high schools, col
leges and universities On leaving school he
state is still TO provide for the young man by
debating his occupation and giving him employ
ment IN It. If he falls i'll the state must provide
him with medical attendance. When he becomes
invalid crippled or superannuated the state Is
to pension him. and when AT last he dies ii must
providr for the burial of his body. That
without exaggerati0n, is in every detail The pro-
gramme OF socialists, or of many Of their most
authoritative leaders and spokesmen, and in its
chief details # has heen and IS being practically
and energeticalIy urged by them for legislative
enactment.
Now the supreme faulty of this Is in the no.
ton that stream, though damned into ever so
broad lake. can rise above its source, or that
a community can collectively rise above tie
morals. the intelligence, the thrift and the
wealth of its component citizens. That the state
should exercise some sanitary and police super
vision over the people is indisputable, but that
is a very different thing from being a universal
proyider. 1t may require parents TO take decent
care OF their children, and not to abuse them,
but that is very different from itself assuming
the parental functions and feeding and clothing
the children. 1t may guarantee 10 every man
a free opportunity to work wherever he can find
employment but that is very different from
guaranteeing him constant employment whether
any work needs to be done or not. 1t may pro-
tect him in his living, but that is not to declare
that It owes him living.
There may. Of course, be such thing as the
collective wisdom wealth Of the state, but
as the very term implies, it is and can be moth
ing but the collected individual wisdom
wealth Of its individual citizens This is to be
said OF every quality and function which Is i'm
puted to the state. And the improvement OF
those qualities and the increase of those func-
tions IN efficiency must be accomplished. II at ALL
by first thus doing TO the qualities and functions
of the individuals. Burke suggested the impos-
sbity of framing an indictment against q
whole people. and so it is impossible 10 educate
or to enrich or to promote the health of whole
people The process must be individual. And
certainly the collected energy or thrift OF n
whole community is not to be increased through
a process which would discourage individual
energy and thrift. The Sw is as certain as
death or taxes that in proportion provision Is
made for mems wants by the state or by any
body but themselves they will cease TO seek to