children will be herded together while public officials go about the country robbing mothers of their babes. This utterly ridiculous idea that Socialists advocate separating children from their parents has caused many women, particularly those with strong, maternal feelings, to oppose Socialism without ever knowing what Socialism is. But this spectre of the breaking of parental hearts melts away before rational investigation of what Socialism really stands for, just like the spectre of free love. The fact is that the state is caring for its children even now, without injuring family relations, by means of its public schools, its kindergartens and its playgrounds, and that state care under Socialism will only mean a further development and extension of these beneficent, desirable institutions. If Socialism means anything it means consideration for the welfare of the coming generation, Those who devote their lives to the service of Socialism to-day know that they themselves will never reap the fruit of their toil, but that they are merely sowing and planting that posterity may reap, and the whole philosophy of Socialism is one of altruism and human service. It is a noteworthy fact that wherever and whenever Socialists have come into power, even under the capitalistic system, provisions for the benefit of children were among their first, official actions. That every child has a right to be well born and to be reared in an atmosphere of health, happiness and love, will be a fundamental principle in Socialistic society. The co-operative commonwealth will be the paradise of childhood.
There was a time when people opposed public schools on the ground that free public education would undermine parental authority, and would cause parents to shirk their responsibility; and yet the public school system has been established in every civilized country and its benefits to civilization are no longer questioned. Under Socialism public education will mean much more than it does to-day. It will mean that from infancy until maturity the mental and physical development of every child will be a matter of public concern, and that the best society has to offer will be applied to the education of all its children. The public school will be extended in both directions. It will collect all its youths and maidens in higher institutions of
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