Page:The Wisconsin idea (IA cu31924032449252).pdf/170

 "The combating of political corruption, as well as physical disease, is one of the great by-products of this work, the effect of which has not been fully understood in connection with other correlated movements in Germany. Sanitary conditions of factories, sanitary conditions of homes, progress towards health and the fighting of disease, the economies practiced by the cutting down of injuries and of sickness caused by carelessness in factories, the cheapening of industrial insurance—all come from this source. These are powerful influences which are basic and cannot be omitted. It is but a truism to say that intelligence is aided when disease is curbed and good, cleanly conditions exist in the home.

"Reformers in America are striving to get some knowledge of why corruption is rampant here. We are fighting political corruption and physical disease at the same time. We may have reform periods or spasms; we may create temporary organizations for the purpose of reforming government; we may deliver lectures, or our magazines may lead in pointing out the defects in government, but we will never get a true sense of obligation to the state until we teach that obligation. If we teach this in college or the high school we will not hit the mark. How can we, when four-fifths of the boys and girls do not go to high school or college? We never can completely fight disease, political or physical, unless we teach these four-fifths, in some way, how to fight.

"Our great success in the battle against tuberculosis comes largely from a determined effort to educate our people in a knowledge of that disease, its prevention and cure. We can never eradicate political corruption unless we use the same determination and begin at the time when a young man can be taught something about citizenship. Our lawyers tell us that very little can be done by legislation; that we cannot make people good by law. The Germans look upon the law and the state as great moral forces,