The San Francisco call., 1909-02-13
EVOLUTION FACTOR
is MUTUAL AID
Speaking at Darwin Centennial,
Prof. Brooks Tells of Good
of Cooperation

BERKELEY, Feb. 12.-That the ex-
preston "the survival OF the ittest,"
used to Justify every encroachment
upon the rights Of the individual, was
a misnomer and far from Darwinism.
was the declaration tonight by DR..
John Graham Brooks. the sociologist, at
the public meeting Of the Sigma Xi
society. in South hail. to celebrate the
centennial Of the birth Of Charles Dar-
win. author Of The Origin Of Species,
and the greatest biologist in the world S
history. The meeting was largely at
tended and Professor Brooks was care
fully followed through his subject,
some Sociological Uses OF Darwin's
Name
COOPERATION SUCCESSFUL
Every crowding of the weak he
continued. every crime against hu-
man kindness and mercy has been
dubbed the survival Of the fittest.' p"
After quoting from Darwin Professor
Brooks said:
I have three propositions TO lay before you in
the consideration Of the application OF Darwln-
Ism 10 sociology The hrst is that the appllca-
fions made IN the past have taken almost no cen
cern with the great fact OF mutual aid as a fac
TOR in evolution; confning the consideration OF
the problem 10 the phases arising from the brutal
struggle FOR existence. The second proposition Is
that cooperation is successful, and is gradually
winning out against the individuaIist in human
society. To prove this. ] Will give some account
Of the experiments IN cooperative manufacture,
cooperative farming and cooperative distribu-
ZION Of the products, as illustrated IN England
and other European countries My third propo-
Eition is that voluntary cooperation. in solving
the problem Of the farm hand, the wage Garner
and the merchant, is the sane and conservative
safeguard against state socialism as advanced by
the radicals and revolutionists OF France and
Germany. Russia and other countries.
MUTUAL AID A FACTOR
The theory Of evolution suffered as all theories
bearing upon human relations suffer The fol-
lowers Of Darwin, instead Of widening the scope
of his theories and developing those branches
which he was forced 10 leave unfinished mar
rowed the limits OF evolution more than he
tions OF ii which he would have subordinsted in
IFS final broad scheme OF biology. Emphasizing
the struggle for existence they came 10 think
struggle among half starved individuals. They
made modern literature resound with the war
cry OF Woe 10 the Nanquished" Their philoso-
ply lOp sided philosophy and did not take
account Of some Of the fundamental facts Of
life.
Mutual aid has been one OF the main factors
IN organic evolution The Darwin OF the future
viii be the who works out the true value
of mutual aid IN its application TO human society
81 the form OF cooperation.
Cooperation among animals has won out. The
species capable OF cooperating, the species with
sympathetic members are the ones that have won
out in the intergroup struggles. In man this is
even more the than among animals. lt has
proved true among the nations and among the
spply the principle TO industry. TO the work OF
the world as wen IS 70 the fighting.
MAY AID FRUIT GROWERS
Cooperation is being tried in Europe and is
succeeding. Perhaps the largest boot and shoe
factory IN the world is q cooperative concern in
England. j has succeeded IN Denmark and IN
Belgium TO a great degree. Cooperative farm
ing has been the salvation OF the agriculture OF
a large part of Europe. II may yet be the saliva
tion OF the fruit growers Of California an appIi-
cation Of Darwinism TO a problem near to the
people Of this state and their welfare.
In the course of his address on Oar
wins Probable Place in Biology" Prof
William E. Ritter. head Of the depart
1nent OF zoology Of the university, said
that the followers OF the great biolo-
gist had committed a grave error when
his theory that natural selection was
the sole cause Of the transformation
Of species was placed ahead OF his
views that species arose naturally.
Prof Harry A. Overstreet OF the de-
partment Of philosophy gave an inter
esting lecture on The Philosophical
Significance Of Charles Darwin" and
told Of the effect OF his theories on
philosophy.
Prof. J. c. Merriam presided at the
meeting.