The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1912-04-27

Review" (New York and London), a
leading English periodical. The arti-
Gle is entitled, 'Individualism and
Socialism," and is written by Have
lock Ellis.
I'm every age" says this writer,
the question of Individualsm and
Socialism takes on different form.
In our own age it has become acute
under the form of a conflict between
the advocates of good heredity and
the advocates of good environment.
On the one hand, there is the desire
to breed the individual to a high de-
gree of efficiency by eugenic selec-
ton, favoring good stock and maxi
ing the procreation of bad stocks
more difficult. On the other hand
there is the effort to organize the
environment by collectivist methods
that life for all may become easy and
wholesome. Il"
Having stated the issue the writer,
who is Socialist, proceeds to give
his view. He writes: But as the
movement of environmental Socialism
realizes itself, it becomes increasing
ly clear that it is itself multiplying
the work which it sets itself to do.
In enabling the weak, the incompe-
tent, and the defective to live, and
to live comfortably, it makes it cas-
Ter for those on the borderland of
these classes to fall into them, and
1t furnishes the conditions which en-
able them to propagate their like and
to do this moreover, without the
prudent limitation which is now be.
coming universal in all classes above
those OF the weak, the incompetent,
and the defective. V So it is
that the question of breed, the pro-
ducton of fine individuals, the ele-
walton of the ideal of quality in hu-
man production, over that of mere
quantity. begins to be seen, not mere
ly as noble idea! itself, but as the
only method by which Socialism. can
be enabled to continue on its present
path. If the entry into life is con-
ceded more freely to the weak. the
incompetent, and the defective than to
the strong, the efficient and the sane.
then Sisyphean task is imposed on
society; for every burden lifted two
more burdens appear But as indi-
vidual responsibility becomes devel-
oped. as we approach the time to
which Gallon looked forward, when
the eugenic care for the race NAV
become religion, then social con-
troll over life becomes possible.
Through the SLOW growth of the
knowledge concerning hereditary con-
ditions, by voluntary self-restraint
by the final disappearance of the lin
gering prejudice against the control
of procreation. by sterilization in spe-
clal cases, by methods of pressure
which need not amount to actual COM
pulsion, it will be possible to attain
an increasingly firm grip on the evil
elements of heredity. Not until such
measures as these, under the guild
ing influence OF sense Of personal
responsibility extending to every
member of the community have long
been put into practice, can we hone
tn see Man, no longer embodied in
sweltering heaps that are forced to
prey on one another, but risen to his
full stature, healthy in body, noble
in spirit. beautiful in both alike, NOV
ing spaciously and tremendously
among his fellows in the great world
of Nature, to which he is so subtly
adapted because he has himself
sprung out of it and is it's most ex-
quisite flower
There is a plain statement of the
aim and method of Socialism as con-
ceived in the mind of a prominent
Socialist. How any man who pro-
fesses to be a Christian can lend his
aid to a movement which is so funda-
mentally opposed to the principles of
Christianity we cannot understand
The only way to explain how any
Christian can espouse Socialism is on
the assumption that he does not
know what it stands for.
klPLING AND HOME RULE.