The daily sentinel., 1914-01-12
ALARMING DECREASE
IN THE B|RTHRATE
SAYS DOCTOR
Conference on Race Betterment
Develops Some Startling
Statements for Use.
ROMANCE LIVES IN EUGENICS
Associated Press.

Associated Press.
Battle Creek, Mich, Jan. 12.-"Tn
order that the existing population
may be maintained or indeed that
the race may survive. it will appar-
entity be necessary to make a eugenic
selection of healthy mothers and to
provide that the cost of bearing and
rearing children shall be equally
shared by all"
This declaration was made here
today in an address by DR.. ]. McKeen
Cattell. professor OF philosophy in
Columbia University, delivered be-
fore the National Conference on Race
Betterment.
DR.. Cattell's subject was The De-
clining Birth Rate" The complet-
ed family of contemporary scientific
man." said he is about 2, the sur
wing family about is and the num-
ber OF surviving children for each
scientific man about 1.6. Twenty
Two pei cent of the families are child
less; only one family in seyent-five
is larger than six. The same condi-
tions obtain for other college gradu-
ater.
"If the size of family of college
graduates should continue TO de-
crease as it did during the nineteenth
.
would have no children.
"lf the birth-rates in England,
Germany and France should continue
To decrease as they have since 1880.
there would be no children born Il
hundred years hence.
Population Stationary.
In France the population Is now
stationary, while in some depart
ments there are four deaths for every
three births. In other nations an
increasing population has been main
tained through decreasing death
rate must increase, being now so low
on account OF the age-constitution of
the population. 1t is only in Japan
that the birth-rate is increasing,
though it still remains high in Rus
sia. Five dreadnaughts built an
rually in England are fragile toys
compared with five million children
born annually in Russia.
Answers from 461 leading scien-
tific men giving the causes which led
TO the limitation in their size of their
families show that 176 were not vol
unfairly limited. while 2S5 We're so
limited. The cause voluntary limi-
tation being health in 1873 cases, ex-
pense in 9S cases, and various other
causes in "a cases.
"Childlessness was inVoluntarily
in two-thirds of the cases. In the
standardized family of two, the con-
dition is desired in six cases out of
seven.
"Eugenics does not eliminate ro-
nance. We eugenists believe ro-
nance should be retained" said
Prof. Roswell Hill Johnson, of the
University of Pittsburgh, in address,
/ ing the conference.
Through the past" said Prof.
4 Johnson" romance has proved a good
thing. In fact, we believe that it
has been powerful factor in the
building up of the most valuable
human traits in mans evolution.
I "Most people believe we are at
/ tempting TO produce the perfect ply
sioal baby. Physical perfection has
a certain Importance, of course. But
! physically perfect babies may be
found frequently with inferior minds
Eugenics seeks the improvement in
racial qualities both mental and ply
steal in future generations of men.
1 By racial, we mean inheritable quail
ties.
! Law Marriage Rate.
"The superior stock We have is
marrying at an alarmingly low rate.
In order to advance this rate. which
must be done, it is necessary to pro-
mote the following agencies:
| Let young persons of both sexes
be educated together, as they now
are in many institutions.
Let parents interest themselves in
/ furthering the acquaintance of ell
igible friends of opposite sex. though
without throwing the young people
together too obviously and thus null
/ Tipping the advantage.
Let the young people be Impress
ed with the thought that marriage is
their ideal and normal goal of life
and let all cynical and pessimistic
views of marriage be opposed
above all things, let young peo-