390 The Effects of Evolution 



fare." All improvements in social conditions must come through 

 the direct action of the people, and not be concocted for them. 

 Society cannot be perfect unless you have perfect social units. All 

 experience points in the direction indicated by Mr. Savage — that 

 of giving the laborer fewer hours of labor, and thus permitting 

 him to work out his own salvation. 



Mr. William Potts : — 



I have not read "Looking Backward," I am sorry to say, and 

 therefore cannot attempt to criticise its theory of social reform, 

 except indirectly, and in a very general way. But I have had 

 some experience with the public management and managers of 

 affairs — all I want ; and if we are coming to a time when all pri- 

 vate affairs are to be managed by public officials, I shall be glad 

 to try my chances in some other planet where affairs are still 

 under private management. In regard to the future, let us spec- 

 ulate as we will, but let us be conservative in action. No perma- 

 nent change in individual character or social conditions is ever 

 made suddenly or by means of a long step, all at once. The one 

 thing that is perfectly sure in social evolution is that each one of 

 us is to do the best work he can do. We are to reform society by 

 patient, persistent, Christian work and influence, one man acting 

 upon another. 



Dit. Robert G. Eccles: — 



Mr. Wakeman considers that the human will is the great thing 

 in social evolution. But does he not know that the human will is 

 liable to go every way, including the wrong way ? While it goes 

 one way, the great evolutionary forces of nature may be going 

 another. The human will was a great force in the Spanish Inqui- 

 sition — but then it went the wrong way. Constant progress is in 

 part the result of the action of the human will, but that is not the 

 most efficient factor. Again, evolution does not necessarily mean 

 seriality, does not mean constant progress in one direction. In- 

 stead of reaching toward unity, evolution makes for diversity. 

 Under State-Socialism the tendency to social advancement would 

 be retarded or altogether checked, for all social and individual 

 advancement depends upon the increase of wealth in the commu- 

 nity. There will be a constant tendency to increase wealth and 

 wages where there is encouragement for men to go into business 

 for themselves, because the more employers, the more competition 

 there will be among them for the services of the workingmen. 



