262 ADAPTATION AND PROGRESS 



humanity rather than in the success of the territorial group we 

 may well believe that wise social control of the defective class in 

 one group would be reflectively imitated by others and result 

 ultimately in a higher type of physical organism and psychical 

 endowment for humanity as a whole than we have reason to 

 believe would result merely from inter-group conflict even of the 

 commercial type. 



(7) The appeal to Biblical sanction for the " productive life " 

 as interpreted by our author, is questionable. It is not difficult 

 to find support for such a doctrine in the parable of the ten 

 talents, but it is not so easy to interpret thus the parable of the 

 lord of the vineyard who rewarded alike the workmen commenc- 

 ing at the third hour and the one at the eleventh hour, thus 

 apparently negativing the theory that motives do not count; nor 

 does it " feel " like the Gospel of the Kingdom as proclaimed by 

 Jesus with emphasis on obedience to the will of God, love toward 

 even one's enemies, and such service as can hardly be interpreted 

 in terms of " self-centered appreciation " and inter-group com- 

 petition. We believe that the constructive theory outlined in 

 our conclusion is more in harmony with Biblical teaching. 



Despite these points which are at least open to question, Pro- 

 fessor Carver's social philosophy is most suggestive and stimulat- 

 ing, and illuminating, too, in helping one to understand the 

 present European war which is the result in large measure of the 

 commercial rivalry between Germany and England. It is a 

 social philosophy very similar to the one under discussion that has 

 caused the marvelous growth and industrial expansion of Ger- 

 many during the past half-century. On the whole the people of 

 that country have been inspired by a purpose to produce rather 

 than to consume, and ultimately to possess the earth. 1 They have 

 had the vigor, the ambition, — and the conceit, — character- 

 istic of adolescence whether individual or social. But certain of 



1 Professor Carver does not justify Germany's militarism, however, but believes 

 that the desired results might have been attained by populating contiguous terri- 

 tory, buying up the land and eventually by annexation. A coalition of nations 

 jealous of success was almost inevitable in any case with war as a result. Indeed 

 war seems to be the logical outcome of such a social theory with so great emphasis 

 on the success of the territorial group. 



