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effort to sustain an incessant honeymoon； here homes in which a
solitary child grows unsocially； here small two or three…child homes
that do no more than continue the culture of the parents at a great
social cost； here numbers of unhappy educated but childless married
women； here careless； decivilised fecund homes； here orphanages and
asylums for the heedlessly begotten。 It is just the disorderly
proliferation of Bromstead over again； in lives instead of in
houses。
What is the good； what is the common sense； of rectifying
boundaries； pushing research and discovery； building cities；
improving all the facilities of life； making great fleets； waging
wars； while this aimless decadence remains the quality of the
biological outlook？ 。 。 。
It is difficult now to trace how I changed from my early aversion
until I faced this mass of problems。 But so far back as 1910 I had
it clear in my mind that I would rather fail utterly than
participate in all the surrenders of mind and body that are implied
in Dayton's snarl of 〃Leave it alone； leave it all alone！〃 Marriage
and the begetting and care of children； is the very ground substance
in the life of the community。 In a world in which everything
changes； in which fresh methods； fresh adjustments and fresh ideas
perpetually renew the circumstances of life； it is preposterous that
we should not even examine into these matters； should rest content
to be ruled by the uncriticised traditions of a barbaric age。
Now； it seems to me that the solution of this problem is also the
solution of the woman's individual problem。 The two go together；
are right and left of one question。 The only conceivable way out
from our IMPASSE lies in the recognition of parentage； that is to
say of adequate mothering； as no longer a chance product of
individual passions but a service rendered to the State。 Women must
become less and less subordinated to individual men； since this
works out in a more or less complete limitation； waste； and
sterilisation of their essentially social function； they must become
more and more subordinated as individually independent citizens to
the collective purpose。 Or； to express the thing by a familiar
phrase； the highly organised； scientific state we desire must； if it
is to exist at all； base itself not upon the irresponsible man…ruled
family； but upon the matriarchal family； the citizen…ship and
freedom of women and the public endowment of motherhood。
After two generations of confused and experimental revolt it grows
clear to modern women that a conscious； deliberate motherhood and
mothering is their special function in the State； and that a
personal subordination to an individual man with an unlimited power
of control over this intimate and supreme duty is a degradation。 No
contemporary woman of education put to the test is willing to
recognise any claim a man can make upon her but the claim of her
freely…given devotion to him。 She wants the reality of her choice
and she means 〃family〃 while a man too often means only possession。
This alters the spirit of the family relationships fundamentally。
Their form remains just what it was when woman was esteemed a
pretty； desirable； and incidentally a child…producing； chattel。
Against these time…honoured ideas the new spirit of womanhood
struggles in shame； astonishment； bitterness； and tears。 。 。 。
I confess myself altogether feminist。 I have no doubts in the
matter。 I want this coddling and browbeating of women to cease。 I
want to see women come in； free and fearless； to a full
participation in the collective purpose of mankind。 Women； I am
convinced； are as fine as men； they can be as wise as men； they are
capable of far greater devotion than men。 I want to see them
citizens； with a marriage law framed primarily for them and for
their protection and the good of the race； and not for men's
satisfactions。 I want to see them bearing and rearing good children
in the State as a generously rewarded public duty and service；
choosing their husbands freely and discerningly； and in no way
enslaved by or subordinated to the men they have chosen。 The social
consciousness of women seems to me an unworked； an almost untouched
mine of wealth for the constructive purpose of the world。 I want to
change the respective values of the family group altogether； and
make the home indeed the women's kingdom and the mother the owner
and responsible guardian of her children。
It is no use pretending that this is not novel and revolutionary； it
is。 The Endowment of Motherhood implies a new method of social
organization； a rearrangement of the social unit； untried in human
expericnceas untried as electric traction was or flying in 1800。
Of course； it may work out to modify men's ideas of marriage
profoundly。 To me that is a secondary consideration。 I do not
believe that particular assertion myself； because I am convinced
that a practical monogamy is a psychological necessity to the mass
of civilised people。 But even if I did believe it I should still
keep to my present line； because it is the only line that will
prevent a highly organised civilisation from ending in biological
decay。 The public Endowment of Motherhood is the only possible way
which will ensure the permanently developing civilised state at
which all constructive minds are aiming。 A point is reached in the
life…history of a civilisation when either this reconstruction must
be effected or the quality and MORALE of the population prove
insufficient for the needs of the developing organisation。 It is
not so much moral decadence that will destroy us as moral
inadaptability。 The old code fails under the new needs。 The only
alternative to this profound reconstruction is a decay in human
quality and social collapse。 Either this unprecedented
rearrangement must be achieved by our civilisation； or it must
presently come upon a phase of disorder and crumble and perish； as
Rome perished； as France declines； as the strain of the Pilgrim
Fathers dwindles out of America。 Whatever hope there may be in the
attempt therefore； there is no alternative to the attempt。
6
I wanted political success now dearly enough； but not at the price
of constructive realities。 These questions were no doubt
monstrously dangerous in the political world； there wasn't a
politician alive who didn't look scared at the mention of 〃The
Family；〃 but if raising these issues were essential to the social
reconstructions on which my life was set； that did not matter。 It
only implied that I should take them up with deliberate caution。
There was no release because of risk or difficulty。
The question of whether I should commit myself to some open project
in this direction was going on in my mind concurrently with my
speculations about a change of party； like bass and treble in a
complex piece of music。 The two drew to a conclusion together。 I
would not only go over to Imperialism； but I would attempt to
biologise Imperialism。
I thought at first that I was undertaking a monstrous uphill task。
But as I came to look into the possibilities of the matter； a strong
persuasion grew up in my mind that this panic fear of legislative
proposals affecting the family basis was excessive； that things were
much riper for development in this direction than old…experienced
people out of touch with the younger generation imagined； that to
phrase the thing in a parliamentary fashion； 〃something might be
done in the constituencies〃 with the Endowment of Motherhood
forthwith； provided only that it was made perfectly clear that
anything a sane person could possibly intend by 〃morality〃 was left
untouched by these proposals。
I went to work very carefully。 I got Roper of the DAILY TELEPHONE
and Burkett of the DIAL to try over a silly…season discussion of
State Help for Mothers； and I put a series of articles on eugenics；
upon the fall in the birth…rate； and similar topics in the BLUE
WEEKLY； leading up to a tentative and generalised advocacy of the
public endowment of the nation's children。 I was more and more
struck by the acceptance won by a sober and restrained presentation
of this suggestion。
And then； in the fourth year of the BLUE WEEKLY'S career； came the
Handitch election； and I was forced by the clamour of my antagonist；
and very willingly forced； to put my convictions to the test。 I
returned triumphantly to Westminster with the Public Endowment of
Motherhood as part of my open profession and with the full approval
of the party press。 Applauding benches of Imperialists cheered me
on my way to the table between the whips。
That second time I took the oath I was not one of a crowd of new
members； but salient； an event； a symbol of profound changes an