The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1912-05-02

The cry about race suicide
which is 10 frequently heard now
adavs is taken BY some to represent
. serious sociologic problem demand
ing earnest consideration on the part
Of iar-seeine nations. There can be-
no doubt that q fall in the birfh-
rate has been rpreading in EurCp'
Tor several decades; but the question
arises whether the undeniable stats
teal facts justify the alarmist state
ments and protests which have gone
forth from time to time. Are the
nations involved and the world at
large threatened with dire conss-
louences fren the failure Of certain
i classes to rsplenish the earth with.
successors Of their own kind?
Discussions Of this sort are
primarily Of interest to the sociolog-
list rather than to the physician. But
they can be eliminated only with
difficulty from the more distinctly
biologic aspects Of the talk about
race decay. The scientist must
take 4 position toward this question,
and the physician in particular Is
/ often expected to contribute an u
Eliminating opinion on such topics.
Shall hechampion the cause OF those
whose motto is increase and mu.-
ltiply y or shall he pause to examine
1.-The ideals OF the modern study OF
eugenics which embraces tho Sc
agencies by which the human face
may be improved?
1 In the past the efforts to elevate
!. mankind were largely fostered by
by various types Of social reform
which aimed to improve the condi-
tons of life, to perfect our environ
ment The future calls for a progrom
which will be directed toward the
very sources Of life. Our generation
} carries heavy and complicated social
burdens which are inflicted on it in
the form Of an increasing dependent
class typifed in the feeble-mindad
It is to be expected that this load
can be raised by such movement to
control life. This is work for the
social hygiene Of the future.
Regarding the proposed plan Of
curing certificates Of health before
marriage. THE JOURNAL OF rHE
AaERIcAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION says
that while it is easy to pick.out few
extreme cases Of degenerates on the
one hand and Of exceptionally sound
and healthy young people on the
other, no one is at present competent
to divide the mass of possible can
didates for marriage into the fit and
the unfit. It would, however, have
a good effect if men and women con.
templating marriage we're com.
PEELED, before taking that step, tc
consider seriously their fitness fol
parenthood. Private initiative, like
that Of the Chicago clergyman who
refuses to marry any couple moi
provided with medical certificates o.
health, might in time create force
Of public opinion which would make
disease a mark of social bad form
a thing to be ashamed Of in oneself
and certainly not 70 be tolerated in
ones children. This may seem
utopian; yet within a few gener-
ations. social ideals have undergone
lgreater transmutations than this
would involve. One thing is Ger
| tain; the creation IF public senti-
ment may seem a slower method Of
racial improvement than the enact
Iment Of laws, but it is a far surer
and more thorough one: and it
avoids the dangers involved in hasty
sweeping legislation based on crude
cancellations from insufficient
data. Prom the Journal OF the
American Medical Association.
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