New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1911-08-19
THE HAND THAT WRECKS
THE CRADLE.

In a recent editorial In these
columns, We spoke OF the work
which the modern eugenist is do
ing to arouse the public conscience
not only to the possibilities OF I'M
proving the human race by proper
selection Of parent types, but to
the far more vital matter of mere
self preservation. We called at
tention to Pearson s statement
that % per cent of the present
generation is producing 80 per
cent Of the next; that imbeciles,
paupers, criminals and detectives
were reproducing faster than man
Iufacturers, merchants, lawyers
I and physicians; that. in word,
If the present form of society IS
to continue. something must be
done to prevent the perpetuation
Of defective classes. To those
readers who may take more than
casual interest in the subject,
We commend the reading of Prof.
William f. KelIicott s Social
Direction Of Human Evolution. y
book which presents in a pop
iular and yet authoritative man.
ner the dangers that beset So
ciety.
That these dangers are no.
mere dreams. that heredity does
play the major part in the pre-
vention of desirable and unde-
Isirable classes alike, is only too
easily demonstrated in order to
drive home the necessity of a
careful study of human heredity.
We have only to cite Poellmann's
study of a family established by
two daughters of a woman
drunkard. who in five or six gen
erations produced all told 1874 de-
sc endants, of whom over 600
were professional beggars- in
mates of almshouses, criminals
and incompetents of various de-
grees. and to contrast with that
degenerate family the 1894 des-
nndants of Jonathan Edward1.
most Of whom occupied disting-
uished positions in educational
institutions, in the diplomatic
service. in political life. in com
mercial affairs, and in literature.
Envil Onment plays but a small
part in this process Of conscious
trace improvements. Free public
libraries, clean houses, modern
sanitation cannot correct bad
blood. Slums. sweatshops and dirt
are bad, not because they breed
criminals. but because they may
kill off classes which, if nourish-
ed. might become strong and
healthy stocks. What is wanted
is more painstaking and scien-
tific study of the germ plasm
that develops a healthy or un.
healthy strain, rather than more
asy1ums and prisons for the cor
rection and punishment of often
ders. A philanthropist who will
wisely donate to that cause the
funds which would otherwise find
their way TO the Golfers of char
table institutions should earn
everlasting fame. Greater than
any political issue greater than
the building of more universities
and libraries greater even than
the abolition of standing armies,
is any movement which has for |
it's object the direct improvement |
of the human race.
The sociologistl has had his |
day. His statistics of people who
are i'll fed and i'll housed, can
serve no other purpose than that
Of indicating the need Of better
accommodations for the poorer
asses in the effort to uplift them, !
It is to the biologist to whom So !
'iety must turn-the man VIII, !
IAN definitely point out why this
Or that strain is undesirable, why !
his family should not be married
into. because of it's questionable /
ancestry. why that stock is desr-
able because from it there had
sprung men and women of genius. I
Able work in this direction is !
low being done in England under
he guidance Of Prof. Karl Pear
son of The Eugenics Laboratory
If the University of London, and
n America by the Committee on
Eurerics Of the American Breed
RS Association, Of Cold Spring
New York. Only a be-
has been made. but be-
that has shown that be-
lind the phrase trace suicide"
which was banded about a few
'ears ago, there looms a danger
ar greater than most Of us realize.
t Is becoming increasingly evident
hat good blood means not simply
lescent from an aristocratic race,
ut descent from race physi-
ally and mentally and morally
trong. II
When We consider that, accord
- - - Ia