The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-10-02

nifty 10 guarantee them participation in
equal opportunity.
Practical In Idealism.
1.-THE task before us-to build high
standards of social justice in America
is sometimes badly defined. and l think
we all regret that the methods to be pur-
sued have been allowed to fly without
definite understanding of their landing
places Social justice. like the phrase
self-determnation OF free people,, is a
slogan which sounds so well that the
world is beguiled away from deciding
what wise things may be really done
about it.
For my part. / have no taste and no
conscience which will allow me TO talk to
Americans with phrases which l myself
cannot define and with a programme
which is not practical and capable of
fulhlment.
Let us be practical in our idealism.
Let us plan the things we can wisely do
and then do them
Il believe that there is no step more
practical no step which viii mean more
to the growth of Americas social well
fare, no step which will guarantee better
Americas social justice. than one which
| now propose to you.
There can be no more efficient way
Of advancing humanitarian pro-
gramme than by adapting the machin-
cry OF our Federal Government to the
purposes we desire to attain. While
others may have their eyes fixed upon
some particular piece Of legislation. or
some particular policy Of social justice
which calls for the sympathetic interest
of us all, | say. without hesitation, that
our primary considera ton must be the
machinery of administration. and that
when the time comes for us to reorgan-
ize our administrative Government in
Washington, we must all stand to-
gether for the creation of a department
OF public welfare.
Coordination of Departments.
1T is almost useless for us to so on
expending our energies in advancing
humanitarian policies which we wish
put into effect, and it is useless for us
to hope for the effective administration
of humanitarian policies already I'M
dertaken by the Federal Government
until we have prepared TO create an adj
ministrative centre for the application
of our programme
"At the present time we ind social
welfare bureaus and social welfare UNI
dertakings scattered hopelessly through
49,
overlapping the work of the other, and
sometimes, indeed, engaged in bicker-
ings between themselves. The picture
Is one of inefiiciency and of wasted
funds.
Let us not only have social justice
and social welfare developed to the
fullest extent which a wise citizenship
will approve. but let us have also the
means with which to make social justice
and social welfare real and functioning,
rather than visionary and inefficient.
81 have no doubt that there will be
some who will find in this proposal
cause for. calling me an extremist, but
when we have a task to do which has
been dictated by our conscience and
approved by our wisdom let us straight
way find the way TO do it. / do not say
this without word of caution. l recog-
nize certain dangers which are always
presented when government undertakes
large and detailed tasks. have said
already to-day that we must avoid pa
ternalism and that we must avoid 1t be-
cause a paternalistc social welfare pro-
gramme would smother some of the
liberties, some of the dignity and some
OF the freedom for self expression OF our
individuals.