h
a politician?

Above all, we want to see the Government of the country kept free from
the influence of financial rings or of commercial organisations which
may exercise an undue power in determining national policy. Patriotic
feeling may be exploited to promote the self-interest of sections of the
community. Those who direct the State should never be involved, whether
directly or indirectly, in schemes which have for their object the
acquisition of individual gain at the expense of the nation as a whole.

Part V

THE GOAL

CHAPTER XXIV

UNION AND REGENERATION

_So from day to day and strength to strength you shall
build up indeed by art, by thought, and by just will an
ecclesia of England of which it shall not be said, "See
what manner of stones are here," but "See what manner of
men._"--JOHN RUSKIN.

One subject most vital to all progress on sound lines, which affects not
only present reconstruction, but the whole future of the nation, and
involves not only definite action now but also steady and continuous
action in all future time, has been deliberately omitted. The question
of Education, of the training of the coming generation on right lines,
requires separate treatment in a way more complete and thorough, if it
is to be of any use at all, than can be given to it incidentally among a
large number of other subjects.[11] The Education Act, which was passed
in 1918 with so much goodwill, will give opportunities for the
development of education, but whether it is a benefit or not will depend
on how it is used and the kind of education given. The example of
Germany shows how education, highly organised at every stage, reduced to
a system in accordance with theories thought out most carefully, may
have disastrous effects. From the Kindergarten to the University the
Germans have had their completely graded system extending to all classes
of society; they have elaborated their theories with care, and applied
them thoroughly at every stage. Thoughtful students of education, both
in this country and in America, have made German methods the subject of
their study, and offered to them when they could the flattery of
imitation. Those who wished to learn the best methods of teaching have
made the works of Herbart their text-book; they have studied the work
of Kirchensteiner and attended the lectures of Rein at Jena. To know the
last thesis published in a German university had be