t complete and searching kind in
order to make a lasting foundation for the political and social
changes we many of us long to see."[1211] "Convey it in what spirit we
may, an appeal to class interest is an appeal to personal interest.
Socialist propaganda carried on as a class war suggests none of those
ideals of moral citizenship with which Socialist literature abounds,
'each for all and all for each,' 'service to the community is the sole
right of property' and so on. It is an appeal to individualism" [which
seems to be a euphemism for envy and cupidity], "and results in
getting men to accept Socialist formulae without becoming
Socialists."[1212]

Unfortunately there is nothing ideal and elevating in the Socialist
teachings, as the previous chapters show. Socialism appeals to all the
passions and to all the vices, such as hatred, jealousy, envy,
cupidity. It encourages, or at least excuses, wastefulness,
improvidence, profligacy, and drunkenness. Its aim is plunder.

The voluntary co-operation of all for the benefit of all presupposes
the existence of wise, virtuous, and unselfish citizens. Do the
people in England, or in any other country, possess these high
qualities, or are these qualities likely to be created by the
teachings of the Socialists? A distinguished Socialist despairingly
exclaimed: "That spirit which animated the apostles, prophets,
martyrs, is alive in Japan to-day. Is it alive in us as a nation? If
not, if we have replaced it to any extent by some selfish opposite, by
any such diabolically careless sentiment as 'after me the deluge,'
then we as a nation have lost our soul, sold it for mere individual
prosperity, sold it in some poor cases for not even that, for mere
liquid refreshment, and we are on the down grade."[1213] Another
Socialist wrote: "We are all of us great-great-grandchildren of the
beasts. We carry the bestial attributes in our blood, some more, some
less. Who amongst us is so pure and exalted that he has never been
conscious of the bestial taint?"[1214] "Descendants of barbarians and
beasts, we have not yet conquered the greed and folly of our bestial
and barbarous inheritance. Our nature is an unweeded garden. Our
hereditary soil is rank."[1215]

The Socialists themselves acknowledge that Socialism presupposes a
nation composed of ideal individuals, industrious, gentle, mutually
helpful, unselfish, forbearing, and wise. They also acknowledge that
men are the descendants of barba