Socialism at War with Love of Home and Country.
In a recent issue of a leading Socialist paper the following gem of thought is to be found:
“‘Patriotism’ is a nickname for ‘Prejudice.’”
Do you know why the Socialist flouts patriotism and calls it prejudice?
Think a little, and you will see. You love your country because your home is a part of it; and you love your home because it is your individual haven of refuge from the storms of life—the individual kingdom in which you are lord and master and in which you enjoy, with your wife, your children, and your friends, whatever happiness life can give.
The man never lived who would NOT fight for his home—HOWEVER HUMBLE.
The man never lived who would fight for the tenement house in which he chances to be a lodger. The home is ever sacred—the hotel never is. The reason is plain enough. The home is yours, individually; the hotel is everybody’s generally. Now, the Socialist strikes at individualism. He doesn’t want to own your home by any title that gives you individual control of it. He wants everybody’s home to belong to you, and your home to belong to everybody. In other words, the homes of the people are to be owned collectively. If society sees fit to say to you “Move on,” out you go. Society will substitute its title for your title, its will for your will, its control for your control. The home that Socialism will permit you to use this year may be allotted to some one else another year.
Under these conditions no man would love his home any more than he would love his room in a hotel. Under these conditions, the citizen would have no greater inducement to make permanent improvements upon his home, than he would have to make improvements upon the hotel.
Love of home being destroyed, love of country would also be destroyed. Patriotism, being founded upon love of home, would perish under Socialism, for the simple reason that the foundations would be gone. Under Socialism, the most beautiful feature of civilized life would disappear. Home life, as we know it, would be impossible. The song of “Home, Sweet Home,” would thrill no responsive chords in the human heart. The tender pathos of Burns’ “Cotter’s Saturday Night,” would not be felt. Socialism would answer with a universal YES, Sir Walter Scott’s ringing challenge,