The Washington herald., 1910-11-14

New York, Nov. 13.-"Eugenics" is a
Britain, where Sir Francis Cation, the
distinguished relative Of Darwin. con-
tinues in his old age 10 preach the doc
trine that he founded, than it Is in this
country. But eugenics~-call II a theory.
doctrine. religion. what you will-has one
enthusiastic devotee at least on this side
OF the water In the person OF Rabbi
stephen S. Wise. who spoke to hts con-
gregation Of the Free Synagogue on the
subject OF race culture at Carnegie Hall
yesterday morning.
''Eugenics aims 10 emphasize parental
responsibility and 20 bring about tie
quiokening and guidance, IL not control.
OF such sense OF responsibility by the
state" he told an intelligent audience.
THE science of eugenics has suffered
because OF the confusion OF the terms
race suicide and race culture. Between
race culture and race suicide there. is a
difference between earnestly bent upon
lettering and perpetuating itself and a
race not only too indolent TO concern it.
self with remote posterity, but even too
basely self-indulgent TO be ready to bear
the burden OF parenthOOd.
Wants Children Well Born.
'Eugenics demands the birth OF chill
dren well born. normally born-that is.
born to an hereditary and environment
that are likely TO promise a normal and
wholesome life. Nothing is as important
and inclusive as the right Of the child
to be well born; nothing can wholly re-
pair the wrong done TO a child that is
still-born. No question can be more
truly religious than the question which.
rightly answered. means the bringing TO
pass the birth of a generation that shall
be better fitted 10 live and that shall not
only ind life worth living, but be en-
abled to live worthily.
For centuries the Second command
ment has been viewed as symptomatic OF
the vindietiveness of the God of Israel,
and now We find that is nothing more
than the utterance OF a scientific truth.
The sins OF the fathers are visited upon
the children unto the third and fourth
generation.
1t is eugenlcs that would avert race
suicide that would make it impossible
by virtue Of its concern with the prob
lem that the largest number OF the right
kind Of children be born and not any
number of any kind of children. Ii is
an attempt 10 restore the dignity Of
motherhood We must go back 10 the
apotheosis OF motherhood OF every moth
er who shares in the divinely ordered
processes which give life 10 man and
man 10 life.
1t may prove TO be the function of
eugenics 70 remold our educational ideas.
but as Havelock Ellis has said, II mat
tiers comparatively little what sort OF an
education We give our children: the pri-
mary matter is what sort of children we
have 10 educate We have no greater
need than 10 recognize that education
must include preparation for tho supreme
duty OF parenthood.
Teach Sex Hygiene.
"Eugenic science insists upon a thor
ough education for our youth touching
sex hygiene and sex physiology, and if
We can't get lady teachers for this we
VIII get women teachers. Women shall
yet be as deeply concerned In their fu-
ture husbands moral standards as the
fathers in their son-in-laws financial
standing
Eagenies will Individually give rise to a
new craftsmanship that shall help US TO A
true conception OF national veal and
national health, that shall move US TO I'M
derstand that the nation is richest that
contains the largest number OF well-born
healthful. contented upright citizens. II
may yet teach England to understand
that the chief thing is not to reduce the
number or Germans. but TO see to il that
more Engishman are born OF the right
kind. Society will come TO realize that il
Is under the necessity OF protecting itself
against the perpetuation Of incurable dis
eases-physical. mental. and morally
making II impossible for those who are
so afflicted 20 reproduce their kind"
He went on 20 show how this theory
of living would completely eliminate child
labor. so it would force the state OF