Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1906-05-25

Number of Weak, Criminal and Dis
eased People VIII BE Copsidered.
Assistant Secretary w. NJ. Hays OF
the department of agriculture at Wash
ington, who was heraided as the origi-
nator of a plan for the creating of a
more virile and higher type of Ameri-
can men and women, the project being
likened to the amazing results. in plant
life secured by Luther Burbank, re-
Gently declared that the matter had
been somewhat exaggerated. He has
written the following explanation OF
the idea for the New York American:
81 have been misQuoted as indicatr
ing that committee on eugenics was
being formed to breed men. The COM
mittee is not designed to do more than
make a broad study of heredity in man
in relation to racial improvement
said that such subjects as lesSeninS
the number of weak and criminal peo-
pie would naturally be considered; also
that there might be found ways OF en-
couraging the increase of people OF
strong and vigorous blood. Statements
of methods of studying this most diff
ture, because about all that has been
done is to authorize the formation OF
the committee.
This committee is not in any way
official, but is part of II society devoted
for the most part to study heredity in
plants and animals. Study of the he
redity of deafness, OF blindness, OF
tendency to yield to certain diseases
and like investigations are now quite
common among medical men. 1t Is
hoped that these Investigations may be
centered in the reports of this COM
mittee on eugenicS. No one has any
new or radical theory to exploit III
this committee, which should be OF
conservative investigators.
1T may be that the extensive studies
of heredity of plants, in which prog
ress has been made in the past decade,
will throw some light on heredity in
man, as it is aiding in better knowl-
edge of heredity in animals. Improve
ment in species of plants has proved
relatively easy Racial Improvement
in man by any new methods seems
long call, and education and religion
in the home, in the school and in tbs
must ever be the great elevators of
the races. The world is rapidly accu-
mulating the means and devising the
methods necessary to insure good food,
clothing and shelter to all who will do
their part. Education modified so as
to have more of industrial and specific
preparation to fit for practical life will
better assure to all the power to make
a living.
Under modern conditions, where not
much more than half the people are
required in outdoor occupations, where
there is much more highly organized
industrial, transportation, merchandise
ing, political and social affairs and
where a large number of the people
are highly trained lin specialties by
long attendance at schools, the race is
under a new environment.
mo careful study has been made rs
to whether the race is wisely adapting
itself to this new environment, which
gives fierce competition in some lines,
allowing only the fittest to survive,
and removes competition along other
lines, sometimes permitting the weak
er part of the race to develop.
For education and religion to have
their largest influence the leaders in
the schools and churches need to know
the radical tendencies. Man needs to
be studied with as much care as corn
or cotton or wheat. If the heredity of
corn and other plants can be educated
possibly the heredity of races of men
can be trained. Some of the laws of
heredity seem to be the same in all
living things, but there are differences
in the heredity in each species. We
may learn from studies of -heredity in
plants how better to study man, but |
to study heredity in man we must |
study man."
New York physicians. biologists and |
We're much interested in |
the story from Washington regarding |
the proposed study of the heredity of |
man with view to eleyating the men |
tai, moral and physical standard of ,
and lessening the number
Of weak, deformed and criminal Fol !
lowing are some of their views on the
subject:
DIR. John Van Doren Young. secre-
tary of the Medical Society of the
County of New York: physicians and
scientists have long thought of the
Of perfecting the human,
race, but they have also recognized the
many difficulties in the way of carry
ing the theory to a practical test. I
would like to see the thing accom-.
plished. Nothing but good could come
Of it-social and moral as well as phys
Ical. 1t would be, the, attainment of
the millennium. Any actual test Of
the theory will undoubtedly be watched
by all the world, for all the world
would be the gamer If the end We're
attained"
DR.. Prince A. Morrow, consulting
dermatologist of ST. vincent's hospital,
author Of Social Diseases and Mar
riages" and president Of the. Society
For Sanitary and Moral Prophylaxis:
Both physicians, and laymen have.
ong discussed the problem of improve
ment of the human, race, and at the,