Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-07-23
DIRECTLY nIPUsITt: VIEW
rtl>i'> u i':uI;i:itr SPENCER
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~ tie fo'it.ai!@- doctrine that the
ih.i dual Is his own cud; iha; man Is
r"aicd FOR ,unu. that the state. in order
20 Justify It's being. Is bound 10 further
ali the interests rt the individual.
The Souue scieRc. Of sociology, which
owes To Augusta Com,e its name and
rs outlines. endcavors 20 establish IN.
meaning Of the concepts state" and
individual"
There is in sociology school called
The "orEanicist.' which asserts that the
individual ha. no existence at ALI; that
Ne comes into being only BY the body
polite and an entirely subordinate
nonautonomOus particle Of the commun.
''y; that the only reality within the
species lis society. IL the state that we
nave to look upon az uron a living
organism IN which the individual Is
mere cell. which 10y i,self. outside
the BODY polite. separated from IL. ha.
as liitle meaning as n cell extracted
from a highly differentiated being. from
man or from n warm FLOODED animal.
In tiuc OF peace this subject miSh,
hay. teen discussed and debated aca-
'lcmicaily ~ War time IL ceases 20
he matter Of debate The question
Is settled I'la;u. his train.bearer. lie
Ia spite OF all theories the state as
'erts itself as practically ali-powerful
and the individual hnds himself deerad-
ed 10 tool In war the claim is self
determination Of the individual Is dis
missed. He is no longer a sovereign
personality; he is a serf; no. he is less,
lie rs mere thing Of which a superior
power disposes in an unlimited manner
MAN MUST BE PREPARED
FOR E:NTREME SACRIFICE
Not only must he he prepared for
tho most extreme sacrifice, that Of his
lifc in the battle field. but even before
hc faces at command the enemy's
Weapons. he must renounce all his own
in his soul and heart; his most cher
shed Dciinations, his deepest convic-
lions. his right OF criticizing the nature
ard end "f his proper acts and Of those
~ others his capacity for distinguish
ing between good and bad. He is for
hidden 10 utter his views; the censor
prevents it. Coercion interferes with
his very act Of thinking. * calculated
suggestion emanatine from the govern
mcnt creates general decisions. degen-
Grating into mass delrium which be-
wilders everybody's mind. Truth is
darIened lies are raised to the status
the body polite and subjects every
body's opinion to violence.
Whoever dares. In spite Of this to
form divergent judgment and to
maintain it, is stamped by common con-
sent as criminal, \ traitor. an anar-
rhist. an enemy Of his nation whom
i, is n duty and q merit to suppress.
The annhiIation OF tho Individual his
drowning in tho body polite. is fully
justified II it is admitted that the end
Of the state ia war. War suffers no
ndividualsm. II did not suffer il even
in the remotest times, when it dissolved
itself into a number Of picturesque or
epic single fights, for the single fight
crs also had I" agree among them az
TO the time and place of their acts OF
prowess. aud TO obey a general, plan
it their valor was not to be stricken
with baroness.
In our time OF scientific warfare IL ia
absurd and unthinkabie. a single will
must be the whole national organism;
single mind must think, Judge.
scheme for all; single executive must
dispose OF all resources of the whole
nation.
y state allowing its citizens individ-
nal rights. respecting their personality.
hcsitatinG to use them without regard
has no chance In, war against An ad.
vcrsary who halts a. no considera tlon
fc: individuals and asses then, like 50
many engines
DENIES THAT WAN
rs END Of THE STATE
But is war the end of the state? I
deny ii with my utmost energy. 1t is
The contention OF the mystios Ut state
omDipntc"ce. They 1rIvel about will
for power" impulse to domination"
] do not know what mission to aub-
ject the whole universe to their In
fluence," about imposing their mentality
upon the entire mankind, about fixing
their territorial frontiers according to
thcir own wants, about annexing all
foreign territories they deem necessary
or useful to them.
These. are revolving sophism that do
mol becoutA moral hecaues fbAv tsLa