Organized unofficial initiative must _lead the way_, however, in social
experiment, in fostering new measures of reform, until the State adopts
them. Suggestions, relative to local quarantine organizations, gathered
from many sources of social wisdom, are given in another chapter. When
such a measure as Perfect Social Quarantine is the aim of organization
it is well to insist upon adoption by the State by all possible means.
Voluntary taxation of _one one-hundredth_ of the _income_ of _half_ of
a community, as suggested, will accomplish a Perfect Social and
Sanitary Quarantine. Families voluntarily tax themselves twenty per
cent. of income for comfortable houses alone. _One-twentieth_ of this
single item, properly applied, would accomplish Perfect Social and
Sanitary Quarantine and make living _anywhere_ comfortable.
And finally, the chief menace of the lying hypothesis, expressed by
the assumption of the necessity of a "hopelessly submerged," or
Have-To-Be-Bad or Have-To-Be-Miserable class, is that it is not much
of a stimulant to charity and is an anesthetic to public and
individual conscience.
Conscience is an expression of Character. Conscience _is_ Character,
and anything that helps to dull conscience helps to kill character;
and, as character is the only firm foundation on which a republic can
stand, indifference to neglect is an influence which must wash away, in
time, the very foundations of liberty and happiness.
Pessimists constantly echo the cry of the necessity of a Have-To-Be-Bad
class. Do not listen to this cry. If it is true under present methods
of indifferent and uncertain protection it _need not be so_. You can
correct the fault in a generation. Listen to Mayor Van Patten, to Chief
Crowley, to Mr. Hart, and to the state secretaries of the National
Conference of Charities and Correction of Canada and the United States.
These altruists know. Pessimism, assumption and many a stereotyped
tradition lie. Don't listen to the lie. There is better news in Truth.
Seek the Truth about your fellowmen and helpless waifs and learn that a
social quarantine such as we propose, protecting childhood between the
age of earliest perceptions and that of reasonable public school age,
will give them a choice between good character and habit and bad
character and habit, and that _ninety-eight_ per cent. of the
"_hopelessly submerged ten per cent_." will choose the good and become
useful citizens.
This is what we mean by a Perfect Social Quarantine, and this is the
menace of a Have-To-Be hypothesis by which to dull the conscience and
kill the character of our republic.
Ninety-eight per cent. of the ten per cent. defective characters have
been saved after becoming warped, and saved by the methods of the
kindergarten. What would not the same method of character-building
accomplish in the way of protection instead of correction? It would
also prevent deep scars being marked on the tender soul matrices
confided to our care.