But for their children, yes! Healthy surroundings, good food, mental and physical training, plenty of play, and carefully chosen work--these might save the young and prepare them for happy life.

But they are being left to grow up as their parents were, and even when a few hours of school are given them the home half-neutralises what the education effects.

The scanty aid given is generally begrudged, the education is to be but elementary, as little as possible is doled out.

Yet these children have each one of them hopes and fears, possibilities of virtue and of crime, a life to be made or marred.

We shower money on generals and on nobles, we keep high-born paupers living on the national charity, we squander wealth with both hands on army and navy, on churches and palaces; but we grudge every halfpenny that increases the education rate and howl down every proposal to build decent houses for the poor.
We cover our heartlessness and indifference with fine phrases about sapping the independence of the poor and destroying their self-respect.