El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-05-28

; nently to the prevention of, and the
causes underlying, crime.
Social Units.
A recent authority asserts that so
! percent Of the criminal classes would
! probably come under the definition Of
/ social unfits,' detective in body or in
/ tellect, and totally unable, without help,
to shape or direct their lives. An en-
lightened public sentiment is already
recognizing the relationship between
poverty, disease and crime. 1t is a mat
ter of common knowledge that many
men committed to prison are men with
out work and without money, needing
pity and relief and not criminals, need
ing punishment. The distinction between
misfortune, imprudence, and crime is
/ sharply defined, and the sense of pro-
portion should be carefully observed
not only in the making of our laws but
also in their administration.
The urgent necessity of some state
control of preventable disease in rela-
ton to the insane, is pointed out by the
commission in lunacy. General paralysis
Of the insane is a fatal disease the vic
tins living. on an average, five years.
Its cause is known and preventa5le-
syphilis; its prevention is of greater
Importance to the human race than that
Of tuberculosis. which often attacks
those whose vital energy syphilis has
reduced.
Cause of Insanity
Alcohol is one of the common causes
OF insanity, epilepsy, paralysis, and tu-
berculosis; together with venereaI dis
eases it causes half Of the blindness.
The institutions for the feeble
minded, the separation of the sexes, the
jurisdiction over the retention of de-
fectives in institutions, and the division
Of the state into districts, should re-
ceive attention.
The hour has struck for emancipa ton.
We may no longer sleep and take our
rest. Helen Keller prophesies that the
time Will come when instead of looking
with pride on our great charitable inSti-
tutions, we shall come to regard them as
monuments of our ignorance, stupidity,
and folly" Hasten the day
The States Duty.
Now the meaning Of the parable is
this: The farmer is the state; the
wagon is the care which the state pro-
vides; the fruit, which the farmer is
allowing to drop into the mud is the
only source of wealth which the state
possesses-her children for with the
loss Of their integrity their Intelligence
their strength. and their sanity, all
other possessions are valuelessj the |
voice is reason and common sense, |
which calls upon the farmer in the name !
of humanity to stop the crime of pro-
ducing degenerates by controlling the |
things that make degenerates: and the /
holes in the wagon are alcoholism and |
venereal diseases, especially syphilis. |
the mere mention of which shocks many |
of the philanthropic people who are en- |
gagged in picking defaced humanity out
of the dirt
idiocy, blindness, and crfme-causes /
which, in vast number of cases. are
Known and governable-are filling with
increasing rapidity the costly institu-
tons which the state continues to erect
and yenereal diseases are
undermining the foundations of society, |
and il IS evident that unless these
causes of degeneracy are stopped, the
vitality of the nation viii be destroyed,
for the iniquity of the fathers is visited |
upon the children unto the third and
fourth generation.
The Cry for Help.
What, then, shall be our answer to
the voice? The dominant ideas of today
are the conservation of energy and the
prevention of waste, whether in mater
als or in forces. The entire medical
profession is concerning itself, not only
with curing disease, but also in contron-
ng the conditions that cause disease.
ooclologists have long known that the
win curses, alcoholism and venereaI
diseases. are largely preventable and
sovernable, if not by restrictive legisla-
ion. at least by broader education.
We're measures taken to limit the losses
rom these curses, we should be much
nearer 20 the solution of the problem of K,
he high cost of living because thous- | ,
lnds OF human beings would be con-
served as productive forces, adding to
he wealth Of the nation and thereby |
tightening the burdens of those less !
apable.
What shall be our answer to the ,
-olce? In the name of economy, of jus !
Ice, OF humanity, let US stop the holes. ;
service Survey Press Blu
eau.