PHILANTHROPIC PROPAGANDA 329 



already arrived, we may conclude that eventu- 

 ally the legislative programme of each party, 

 or group, will be settled more or less definitely 

 in unofficial convention, and that it will not 

 be open to political leaders to spring upon the 

 country measures which have been designed in 

 the secrecy of the Cabinet. When they enter 

 upon office the adopted programme will impera- 

 tively guide and limit their activities. Such a 

 system would give infinitely more importance to 

 philanthropic societies than they enjoy at present. 

 They would have access to the preliminary 

 conventions of groups or parties ; they could 

 urge their views at moments when politicians 

 were concerned, not with polemic activity or 

 destructive criticism, but with the construction 

 of a programme that would satisfy their con- 

 stituents, and might not infrequently be persuaded 

 to add 1 a new banner to their equipment of poli- 

 tical emblems. So assisted, enthusiastic idealists 

 may march to triumph in alliance with interests 

 that have no organic connection with their own. 

 This, it may be urged, is not a pleasing pros- 

 pect : it threatens us with the eccentricities of a 

 government by faddists. But we may condemn 

 as a fad a most useful ideal until we appreciate the 

 full scope of its importance. What aim can a 

 State possess that is finer or more fruitful than 

 to promote the healthfulness, intelligence, and 

 morality of the coming generation ? In the 

 United States this is a dominating political cult, 

 to which all vested interests must pay obeisance. 

 It ordains the ruthless elimination of city slums, 

 and the careful purification of popular enter- 

 tainments. Two generations ago it would have 

 seemed to English statesmen the vision of a 

 sentimental dream. In these days it has its 



1 So the Labour Party has adopted the cries of " Votes for 

 Women " and " Justice for India." 



