The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-04-19

upon dsfinitions born q . dream. for .
remedy, coliectivim being the natural
enemy Of the individualism that alone
gives play to personal initiative and
competence a. factors Of public benef-
cence.
Political preferment - . reward
merely for perseverance In the pursuit
OF political ambition he deplores; as
who does not? Consider the case OF al
most any member Of a liberal Govern
ment: by the complaisance Of party
machinery he was able to present him.
self to q perplexed constituency az the
only possible alternative to Conser-
vatism and tariff reform. and 10 we
have him." Proportional representation
and preferential voting would suit the
critic better: but wisely he saves his
heavier nre for more direct attack, a
bombardment Of the common mind
whose slothfulnesD makes bad govern
ment possible and on the part Of which
concientious alertness would result In
a nearer approximation to the ideal Of
self government through truly repre-.
sentative agencies.
The appeal to British patriotism IL
schools and colleges must cease to be
tho last preserves Of an elderly ortho-
doxy and the last repository Of a decay
ing gift Of superseded tongues" An
inserted Exclusively" would win for this
q heartier Endorsement. England must
not feed on platitudes and vanity while
tho continent Of Europe Is spending It's
energy In national education and i'm
proving its social and Industrial organ
ization. The empire was not planned
by British rulers: their chief contribu-
ton to its history has been the loss Of
the United States" u 10 q scattered
empire; no physical links bind its parts.
their interests are diverse. without
economic. military. racial or religious
unity. II Is "an adventure Of the
British spirit" its makers pioneers,
explorers, Adventures like Give. &C.
centres like Gordon, invalids like
Rhodes" II was not made by authority.
but the time has come when authority
must preserve 1t. Fiscal arrangements
cannot cement II; no law Of Parliament
can erase the north and south lines OF
Canada's place In the economic map.
for example. Penny post. spectacular
displays, knighthoods and peerages,
and the iabors of IAN honest, unsym-
pathetic. narrow minded and unattrac-
tive ofiicialism" cannot do what needs
to be done. Mr.. Wells's last reliance
seems to be upon the enginery OF COM
mon language; British science and
philosophy. invention and enterprise
must he supplemented by the translated
thought OF other lands and peoples and.
las an Imperial function" made avail
able throughout the Empire
If no empire has ever yet done such
a thing. there has never been an empire
like the British, and new conditions call
for new methods. THE whole next
generation OF Canadians" the indict-
ment runs. has drawn It's ideas mainly
from American publications: India and
Egypt have developed their own YER
nacuar press. Australia and New
Zealand gravitate to America for books
and thought" II Mr.. Wells Is right
the printing press may save" the
empire. Certainly the prophets Of evil
are using II. driving Il hard In their
preachments Of ruination.
The labor unrest" Of the presen,
time Is believed TO be new thing
fundamental. epochal. The inert ac-
quiescence OF the working class" is
cancelled by new intelligence. Renewal
y
the governing class" Is to continue "a
govern It must prove itself worthy
An aristocracy that cannot prove itself
the best" is doomed Cost OF living
enters the problem. In any wage scale
"a pound" should mean "a pounds
worth of living: and when debasement
Of coinage with extraordinary guam
titles OF gold lops Off part of the units
purchasing power Il Is not fair TO leave
the laborer To get wisdom at the butcher
shop. That may be permissible In the
lawyers code, hut does not nj the gen.
tleman's: and II IL part OF what Mr.
Wells considers the slim justification
for the present social constitution that
rs inequalities support the gentleman"
But We are shown gentle" class los
ing It's respect for the f1ne old ideals
OF honor. courage and responsibility;
pursuing pleasure while the House of
Lords goes down before the onslaught
Of the House OF Lawyers" and leavinf
the land to ne ruled "hy the harristers
for the harristers."
The British worker is not a social
rebel until the British owner and d.
rector drives him to T.. The miner OF
,o-day IL, for example. both less brutal
and less spiritual than his forebears
alert, informed. iceptical. British en-
T ployers are besought to devise schemes
making for greater permanence OF en-
= ployment and for the more direct par.
: ucipation Of the employee In the bride
= profits and dircctlon' OF enterprise
The reformer has visions OF labor
, conscription to realize his dream o
} labor as "a part OF eve'y ones life ant
tho whole Of nobodys life: would moi
: "A genuine idealist go one step further
and eliminate labor wholly from tn,
scheme OF things? Perhaps l!ttl,
work Is good thing for everybody
but II would be. from any practical
point of view, just about as easy I,
abolish labor entirely as to apportior
II universally. II Mr. Wells would dro
the integuments OF socialism and en-
: gage as publiclst in the strife an
stress of the moment instead Of fight
Ing the battles of far to-morroWs h
would he as different from the Well
that Is as shoes are different from sho
leather
In this volume Mr.. Wells presents hi
views on flying, modern Transportation
and migration, war. the novel, Chester