264 



The Ideal State 



secured. Think of the gain in human happiness, the 

 peace of mind and physical well-being to the toiling 

 millions, and they " who toil not, neither do they 

 spin," will realise the joy of those who have helped 

 to lift the weight of sorrow and anguish from the 

 heavy burden of poor suffering humanity. 



Legislation is fortunately proceeding on these lines ; 

 it is providing better housing, garden cities, destruc- 

 tion of slum property, and is about to reform the 

 land laws so as to make it easy for people to have 

 ample room and gardens and fresh air. These measures 

 must be secured if the development of the child is to 

 have a fair start. Upon this we are practically all 

 agreed nowadays. The child is the future citizen and 

 from both the material and the ethical standpoint it 

 is the duty of the State in its own interests as well as 

 in that of future generations to see to it that every 

 possible means are taken to give him the healthiest 

 environment possible ; and if capital or property inter- 

 fere with this in any degree, they must yield to the 

 paramount interests of the future of the race. The 

 child finds itself in the world ; it has not asked to be 

 born ; it is not responsible for its parents, and if they 

 neglect it, the State must interfere and see to it that 

 in the interests of this entity, who has his rights as a 

 member of the human species, and as a unit in society, 

 and in the interest of the State itself, the child shall 

 have every necessary comfort and care in order to 

 secure in the early days its highest possible physical 

 development, and later on the opportunity of a still 

 higher evolution by the environment of every oppor- 

 tunity of culture and refinement. 



We think we hear the cry which has always arisen 

 when reforms have been mooted : " What of the inde- 

 pendence of the people ! Nothing but pauperisation ! 

 What made the men of the past ? The struggle for 



