The Washington herald., 1915-02-11


!: ! !: !. !: ! = !: !: !: ::
! ARzeS these changes they very
| much concerned. They feared
| sn} something would be destroy
| n ed that they priced above all
| other possessions.
| They were actually look
ing forward to the time when
! they might lose what they
| IA called Freedom"
| M Their concern reminded
me of the celebrated essay by
Herbert Spencer on The
Coming Slavery" Many years
ago, when Herbert Spencer predicted the coming
of socialism, he declared that it would bring into
the world a new slavery. He went so far to say
that the new slavery would be the worst slavery
the world had yet known.
That essay is often quoted now. 1t expresses
la fear that is very common among at the
present time.
For men naturally feel that if they lose their
freedom they will lose the highest expression of
themselves.
Let stop moment to consider what free
dom is and why it is so highly priced.
suppose that the free man is the man who has
his own way in everything. l have already re-
ferred to Robinson Crusoe as this kind of man.
inson Crusoe is usually referred to. He was men
toned in talk of the other night.
In thinking of Robinson Crusoc I have won
dcrcd if he really could have enjoyed his freedom
His creator, De Foe, apparently thought that he
did not enjoy his freedom in all respects. Crusoc
had reason to be glad when the Friday sp-
pcarcd the to keep him company.
And yet the very moment Friday appeared
Robinson Crusoc limited in his freedom. For
now he had to consider not himself only but some
one else and in direct proportion to the extent to
which he had to consider some one else he was
limited in his freedom.
Freedom, then, is damaged by the individuals
Having to consider some one else.
When VIC think of freedom in this way it does
not to be quite the attractive thing that it
is usually represented to be. 1t arrays itself in
opposition to consideration for others, which we
are becoming and more to regard inn
portant in human character
AS we get away from Robinson Crusoc into
more complicated society find the freedom of
the individual restricted more and more. The
things that Robinson Crusoe would be free to do
with Friday at his elbow he would not be free to
do in a more complicated society.
why lItH 20 Hltl prefer lIG more COlTplCdIeu
society to such life as Robinson Crusoe led on
his island2 Why is it that do not profit by
the experience OF Robinson Crusoe by settling on
islands, where they may live either alone or with
one comparison?
The reason is, OF course that in the more com.
plicated society they receive many kinds Of ad-
vantage. For these kinds of advantage they are
willing to give up much OF their freedom. And
invariably they feel themselves compensated.
Very few OF US seriously miss the freedom that
We as members of society are obliged to give up.
Very few OF indeed would care to accept such
freedom. We prefer limitations, not merely
on account OF what we receive in turn, but because
we have learned to love these very limitations.
For example, not one OF would particularly
care about appearing in public unclothed or only
partly clothed. Habit has made clothes a part of
ourselves. We should be uncomfortable il we
were to go abroad only partly clothed Indifference
to the consideration of clothes recognize
bad sign. an expression OF the weakening of char
acter subsistence into unwholesome indifference
to the opinion OF others, into unhealthy egotism.
There are very few OF us that find any hardship
in being obliged to consider others. In giving
such consideration there is pleasure. In many in
stances it provides of the greatest OF our
pleasures. We find it a reward in itself. And we
also find it means OF expressing ourselves.
Through such expression we have the sense of
realizing, not less freedom but freedom.
The freedom OF considering others VIC could
not endure giving up. If we were forced to give
up we should find the new situation detestablc. We
could not tolerate our own selfshness We should
hate ourselves.
AS matter OF fact, in civilized life the idea of
freedom is phantasy 1t has no reality. Not one
of really for it. Not one of US would
accept freedom in the old-fashioned sense. We
perceive that freedom is good only as it conforms
to the moral and the social laws.