The Commonwealth. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1911-1914, 1913-10-30
WALLACE 8 REMARKABLE
VIEWS.

deal with Socialism IN SOME manner
tact that nttests III" tendency of pub
lie interest Hut perhaps the most re
markuhlr hook touching on Socialism
that has been issued this year In So
ciai Environment and Moral Progress,
by Dr. Alfred Russell Wallace. publish
ed by Cassel a Co. New York
II will be remembered TINT Or Wal
lace announced the theory OF evolution
of species simultaneously with Darwin,
and aided the latter In much of his re-
search. Wallace II now past ninety
years OF age. but I'm perfect possession
OF his faculties. lie writes In singu-
larly clear and understandable way,
and the fact that he greatly modifies
the idea of evolution as interpreted by
others, and ends with the declaration
that an overthrow of the capitalist sys-
tenn is absolutely essential to further
advance of humanity makes the work
of supreme interest and Importance.
Among conclusions of DR. Wallace
that will startle believers in the theory
of evolution of species are these;
That an important change in the eX-
ternal form of mankind is impossible
%. III. That there is no evidence of
any Improvement in the intellect of
man since the most remote records of
history opp. 22-35). That morals are
based upon character, and are as pro
nounced in the so-called savage as in
the most civilized opp. 1919. That
the savage shows as much evidence of
degeneracy as of having evolved from
lower forms opp. 40-44. That Il
I'VE have as yet no knowledge of man
in other than the human condition
(p. 1887,
Then comes an arraignment of mod
ern capitalism that is of especial inter
est to Socialists, DR.. Wallace saying:
"Our whole system of society is rotten
from top to bottom, and the social en-
vironment, is the worst the world has
ever SEEM" He discusses twentieth
century environment, unsanitary dwell
ings. adulteration, bribery and gamb-
ling. and declares that our "justice is
immoral" zone would think it self
evident" he says, that justice ceases
TO be Justice when it has to be paid
for" Unjust and barbarous is the
system of money fines He treats OF
the increase in alcoholism, in suicide,
in prostitution and in armament as
proofs of an increasing degeneracy
that threatens not only civilization, but
the race itself.
Wallace next comes to a discussion
of natural selection, and raps the eu-
genicist for wishing to regulate natural
selection through statutes. He argues
that the advance of the human race in
the future can come only through
moral advance, wrought into actually
by abrogating immoral social and eco
nomic conditions. He maintains that
when life is safeguarded in the indus
tries, there will follow naturally a les
SEEMING of births, and with it super
abundance of males, which will give
every woman many opportunities t
marry, and that woman, when free in
the selection of her mate, will, through
her long training in social morality,
deny herself to the unfit, without any
laws being necessary to favor real
natural selection. He concludes: I'VE
must be amazed at the fact that there
is so much real goodness, real human
ity, among us as certainly exists, in
spite of the degrading influences that
| have been compelled here to enum-
crate. To myself there seems only
one explanation of the very remark
able and almost incredible results just
stated. It is that the Divine nature in
us-that portion of our higher nature
which raises us above the brutes, and
the influx of which makes us men
cannot be lost, cannot be deteriorated
by conditions, however adverse, by
training however senseless and bad.
It remains in us, the central ana es-
sential portion of our human nature,
ready to respond to every favorable
opportunity that arises, to grasp and
hold firm every Pigment of high
thought or noble action that has been
brought to it's notice, to oppose even
to death every falsehood in teaching,
every tyranny in action"
The significant thing about this book
is that it seems to show the way to
mutual understanding between the old
theological viewpoint and the new eyo-
lutionary theory, by presenting com
mon grounds and avoiding the ex-
tremes of both.
So long as society is founded on in