GOAPSTONE
1775
SOCIAL SETTLEMENTS
Transparent soaps are made by dissolving common soap in alcohol, pouring off the solution and getting rid of the most of the alcohol by distillation. Soap improves with age, growing harder and dissolving more slowly.
Soapstone. See TALC.
Sobieski, John. See JOHN III OF POLAND.
So'cialism is the theory that society should be reconstructed. The state, it holds, should own all property except wages, clothing, food, fuel and homes; direct if not operate all industries; and distribute the profits to all citizens. Socialism -is neither communism nor anarchy, and does not oppose religion or the family, though many socialists do. It originated in 1808, its founders being Fourier and Saint-Simon in France, Robert Owen in England (1817) and Lassalle and Marx (1867) in Germany. The socialist movements of Saint-Simon, Owen and Blanc collapsed in 1848, but "Christian socialism" then originated in England with Maurice, Ludlow and Kingsley, the famous author of Yeast. Lassalle (1863) founded democratic socialism, called social democracy, and Marx created modern socialism. Though this now differs as to details and methods from his extreme views, it agrees on the whole with his principles, which are these:
Land and capital are the sources of subsistence and instruments of production. Labor gives them value. They should belong, not to individuals, but to society. Capitalists, people who possess wealth but do not labor, own land and capital and hire labor. The laborer must live. He has only his labor to sell for his support. So he is not free, really, but a kind of slave. Capitalists pay only enough to support him and his family, the future laborers, but take the value that he gives to property and products. This value belongs to the laborer, and should be paid to him. The state, therefore, ought to manage all industries and distribute their profits. Socialism claims that when this is done, society will be perfect, prosperity permanent and universal.
Socialism is gaming ground in Europe and Australasia. It aims to gain control of of all governments bypeaceful political action.
Social' Settlements. A social settlement is a group of people who have what is commonly called education and social training living among those who through poverty have less of those things, for the purpose of learning from them and of them, while teaching and helping in whatever way is possible. The benefits thus conferred on each class should also lead to the breaking down of class-distinctions. Inspired by Kingsley, Maurice and Ruskin, Arnold Toynbee, a tutor of Oxford Univer-
sity, in 1875 founded in 'Whitechapel, London, the first settlement. After a few years he died, but in 1884 Toynbee Hall was established in that part of London, where he had worked. In 1887 Stanton Coit, who had written The Neighborhood Guild, founded a club of that name in New York City, which embodied Toynbee's plans. In 1889 Hull House, the most famous of our social settlements, was established in Chicago under the direction of Jane Adoams and Ellen C. Starr. Since then the movement has spread to all the chief cities of this country. In 1907 two splendidly equipped buildings were dedicated to this purpose: University House in Philadelphia and Pillsbury Building in Minneapolis, bearing witness to the continued life of the idea. There were, in 1905, more than 115 settlements in the United States, of which 30 were in New York City, 15 in Chicago, 14 in Boston and 5 in Philadelphia. About 100,000 people were connected in some way with the work of these settlements, and nearly that number were registered in the various classes conducted by them. In England there were 14 settlements in London conducted by and for men and the same number for the benefit of women. There were about 50 in Great Britain. There are a few settlements on the European Continent and in the colonies. The largest settlements are University Settlement in New York with 10,000 attending; Hull House with 6,000; and Kingsley House in Pitts-burg with 6,000. In America the activity of the women in this work is very marked; in England the university men have led the way, but recently university women have done much work. In both countries it is chiefly college students or graduates who engage in settlement work.
The work centers around the persons of the few who reside in the settlement. There always are many nonresident helpers. The residents usually pay all their own expenses, except in the case of one or two officers. The residents visit their neighbors, and help with comfort and advice, but do not give money, as a rule. In the evening men and women gather in the reading and smoking parlors, and amuse themselves in various ways. Debating and dramatic clubs are popular. Of importance are the organizations conducted by the members. So far as possible in the best settlements the management is given over to such organizations, who have to settle many problems in their business meetings. Gymnastics and athletic clubs are popular, and sometimes dancing associations among the women. There are many lecture-courses and musical entertainments. Evening classes in which courses of study may be steadily pursued are also offered. Special features distinguish j&ome settlemenw
