Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1913-08-02
How a Candidate For Governd
Deserted His Wife and
BOasted.
Confessed Publicly What th,
Leaders of Socialism
Teach.
STARTLING PROOF IS sUPPLIl

The argument frequently advanc
against Socialism, that it fostei
free love-" is perfectly correctJ
writes O. B., though this argument :
frequently used injudiciously. Mhi
1t is not prudent to use this argu1
ment in season and out of season
there Is no grave reason why atten1
tion should not be called to the ac-
ton OF consistent Socialists, when the|
| latter are of sufficient prominence.
and their actions at variance with
the divine and human law In matters
of sex morality.
The candidate for Governor of the
State Of Missouri on the Socialist
ticket during the campaign of 1912
has recently supplied q startling
PROOF OF the correctness of the cos
tention that Socialism and free love;
are not adverse to each other, Just,
as do the lives of Eleanor Marx and
Mr.. Aveling, and the sayings of nul
merous Socialist writer's. William A
ward, one time preacher, and In
1917 candidate for Governor
Missouri, was recently divorced by
his wife (June 27, 1879 in a st.
Louis court. Wards views on sex
morality, as expressed in letters pre-
sented by his wife in court, are char
acteristic OF Socialist thought and
ethics, and should, because of their
grossly cynical nature and the repre-
sentative position enjoyed by Ward,
be seriously considered.
The couple had separated in De-
cember, 1911, Ward preaching and
lecturing, while his wife was, Obliged
to earn a living for herself and two
children. In one Of his lettera to
Mrs. Ward this Socialist leader
writes Now that the
evitable (the separationJ has
pened, | shall not feel bound, b3!v
shall live my own life as seems best
to me.
"As to the matter of faithfulness,
to which you referred when I saw
you last, I do not claim to be faith
ful to you. Under the circumstances
1t can hardly be expected, and / shall
not try to be. I am writing frankly
because l think that is best. You
may draw whatever conclusion you
like. !"
There is far more than mere
disregard for convention expressed in
this letter. It contains nothing less
than brutally frank avowal of the
Socialistic doctrine of moral irre-
sponsibility under untoward outer
circumstances, and a shameless re-
nunciation OF the commonly accepted
divine command and the human law.
Economic determinism-the ready
excuse that circumstances can be
blamed for what the individual does
not care to bear responsibility for
Is his sole excuse. Says Ward 4 the
came letter:
IF my irregular conduct seems
wrong, 1t is because Of impossible
for which law and customs
make no provisions, but only make
worse"
This then IL Wards only explana-
tion. He does not consider himself
bound to his wife, although they had
not been divorced when the letter
was written. He does not even pre-
tend TO be faithful, and tells his wife
SO. And all he has to offer as TN
explanation is-unfavorable circum-
stances; and the sole intimation of
guilt Is expressed in the words--"if
my irregular conduct seems wrong"
The force of the argument against
Socialism in this instance lies in the
fact that when Ward expressed these
views he did not put himself in OPP
position to good Socialistic teachings
but confessed publicly what the lead
ers of Socialism teach, thereby ex-
employing in practice the dangerous
effect OF such principles. And this
man was no small fry" Socialist,
but his payty's candidate tor Gov
ernor of the Slate OF Missouri
What can you expect of a system
that justlfies such action IN theory,
and in practice leads men to such
actions?