ll social ills. But it must be evident that neither from history
nor philosophy can any such theory be proved. Between the extreme
anarchistic view that each person should be free of control by law, and
the extreme socialistic view of an extension of state organization until
all property and all industrial activity shall be administered by the
state and collectively owned, social life in its relation to the
individual is always shifting. No one can find the proper line, and if
there were a line it would forever change. On the one hand, the power of
the strongest element in social organization is always seeking to
enlarge the province of the state. On the other hand, the individual
unit following the natural instincts for its development is reaching out
for more freedom and life. When the theorists in each camp manage to
push so hard that both can no longer be maintained, the old organization
of society breaks up into new units, immediately to re-form in some new
way.

This struggle of contending forces is a prolific and unavoidable source
of crime. When organized society goes too far, the individual units
rebel and clash with law; when the units swing too far away from the
social organization and defy the power of the state, almost
automatically some sort of a new organization becomes the state. Whether
this new one discards all old forms and laws and acts without the
written law, is of no concern. It at least acts and sets limits to the
individual life. If it were possible for all legislative bodies to meet
and repeal all laws, the state would still remain; the people would live
and automatically form themselves into a certain order and protect that
order either by written law or vigilance committees. At least the people
would act together.

The majority generally has some religious creed, and to it this is all
important. This creed is made up of observances, such as holy days, the
support of the prevailing religion, the condemnation of witchcraft and
magic, and the like. These and other doctrines often have been enforced
upon those who have no faith in the regulations. The enforcement of
such laws in the past has been by the most drastic penalties and has
brought extreme suffering upon the world. No religious organization has
ever seemed willing to confine its activities to propaganda, teaching
and moral suasion; those methods are too slow, and the evils and
consequences of disbelief are too great. Laws of this drast