The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1913-09-12
SEES DANGER IN
FREAK STATUTES
New Eugenic Laws PerlIOus,
Says Professor Benson.
ZEAL OFTEN MISDIRECTED.

Tendency Of the Times Threatens Well
Being of Race Owing to Present Lack
of knowledge of Genetio Science.
Legislation Really a Menace Not a
Protection to Society.
| Serious differences have arisen be-
tween the medical profession and the
legislators of various states as to the
Interpretation of practical" eugenics.
In fact, public expression of medical
opinion has reached point where it
put society on a eugenic basis do not
know what they are doing This opin-
ion is based on an examination of re-
Gently enacted statutes governing the
question.
The New York Medical Journal says
editorially in its current issue under
the heading "Misdirected Eugenics,"
after referring briefly to an editorial
article on the same subject printed pre-
viously:
The untimely expression Of so called
practical eugenics in terms of stat
utes by legislators who know little or
nothing of the subject, even though in
splred by breeders associations. statls-
ticians and enthusiasts, was bound TO
awaken a reaction among those who
habitually consider all sides of a sub
ject, particularly when hardships are
to be inflicted upon human society,
good as the motive may be.
New Trend of Thought.
These are beginning to urge that
sickly offspring from sound parents
and sound children from niling parents
are not uncommon; that genius is not
incompatible with certain affections
witness the Darwin and many other
family records; that a homeopathic off
spring by no means always results
from a union In which one Of the par
ents suffered from neurosis; that
many who at one time suffered from
diseases now under the ban in many
states and had been cured had normal
children; that several of these dis
eases are increasingly yielding to our
therapeutic measures, etc. Right or
wrong, these criticisms illustrate the
trend of mature analysis.
Suggestive In this connection are the
remarks of Professor Benson at the
recent international congress and
which fortunately have been widely
disseminated through the lay press 81
should be sorry" said this distinguish
ed investigator ito see adopted the
violent methods put to use In some
parts of the United States. 1t Is one
thing to check the reproduction of
hopeless detectives, but another to or.
ganiZe wholesale tampering with the
structure of the population, such as
will follow If any marriage not re-
garded by officials as eugenic is liable
to prohibition.
Nothing yet ascertained by genetiC
science justiticS such a course, and We
may well wonder how genius and the
arts will fare in n community con
= structcd according to the ideas of such
legislators as we are told propose thi:
measure in Pennsylvania and New Jer
, sey, to which we might add severa
other states Legislative tyranny ant
. Its handmaiden. brutality, are increas
ingly holding sway under the guise oI
, applied eugenlcs.
, Outlook Not Promising.
Z "The outlook is not a promising one
AS result of misdirected-tho
well meant-laws a large proportion
of our younger population will be re
duced. as far as marriage Is concern
I ed. to level approXimating that o
the leper IL, when seeking the hol!
bonds of matrimony, they answe
truthfulIy all questions concerning
their physical condition.
| "But in many Instances they will
swear falsely; IN others the truth vii
4 be told aud marriage prevented or dc
layed In others, still, common Law
wives will become as numerous as Il
' those European countries In which OF
/ fetal red tape converts legitimate IN
q ions into an ordeal In the end tn
Il true aim OF enforced eugenics wi
4, have been thwarted; the birth of phys
If lcally and mentally handicapped chi
n. dren will not have been reduced; the
II will simply have received the add
70 tlonal brand OF illegtimacy.
9 at is to he hoped that many state
=, will revise their marriage laws
- such n manner Gs to meet the demand
~ of equity to all. while efficiently pre-
lie tecting the innocent particularly tn
bride to be and her offspring"