Evening star., 1914-02-08

and to encourage the study OF all laws
governing heredity and
Study of their application to all
things living. plants as
ocAeties. well as animals. is the
aim of a large number of scientists,
both in and out of the government
service. who have in recent weeks
Joined forces to give new life to the
old organization known as the Amerl-
can Breeders Association, and which
has just been renamed the American
Genetic Association.
"Genetics" may soon become to be
as popular word as eugenics- Ge-
netics relates to that branch of biology
dealing with heredity. and the applica-
ton of the laws of heredity which are
learned in plant breeding, animal
breeding and eugenics. 1t is the one
word which covers the work which is
being carried on by federal. state and
private agencies for development of
better plants. better animals and for
the newer studies in methods of i'm
proving the human race. Many of the
government bureaus have men inter-
ested in the various branches of
science which the American Genetic
also promoted by the American Breed
ers' Association. of which former
Assistant Secretary of Agriculture
Hays was the organizer.
David Fairchild. president of the
society. is the agricultural explorer in
charge OF the division of foreign seed
and plant Introduction of the United
states department of Agriculture. and
the secretary of the organization is
George NJ Rommel. chief of the divi-
sion of animal husbandry of the same
department. O. F. Cook and T. II.
kearney of the United States bureau
OF plant industry are members of the
advisory council DIR. r S. Palmer. as
Sistant chief of the United States bu-
reau of biological survey, is one of the
ASSOCIATIONS committee on animal re-
search. and Messrs. Walter r. Swingle
ana o. NJ. Collins Of the bureau of plant
industry are members of the commit
tee on plant research
lhe present popularity of the study of
eusenics makes this subject one of the
most important to which the American
Genetlc Association will direct it's atten-
tion. and both Surgeon General Rupert
Blue and Assistant Surgeon General W.
e Rucker of the United States public
health service have accepted places on
tue committee on research in eugenics.
d. Blue and DIR. Rucker have both given
much attention to eugenics in the study
OF the relation between the promotion of
this science and activities of state and
1ederal public health officers in work to
improve the human race.
in the management of the association and
in conducting the research work in ge-
netics will be included many of the emf
nent scientists in the universities ard
state institutions. Membership in the
association will not be limited to scien-
fists. however. but will include all per
sons whose application is approved by
the council and who are interested in all
lines of work for the Improvement of the
human race and the growing of better
plants and better animals. All of the
work of the association will be popular
rather than technically scientific and the
aim will be TO interest large number of
people III senetics. just as the National
Geographical Society has interested hum
dreds of thousands of persons in popular
studies in geography and exploration.
The march of events in the fascinating
fields of plant and animal breeding and
eugenics is chronicled each month in a
magazine published by the association
and known the Journal of Hereditv.
The articles are written by specialists
both in and out of the government de-
partments. and information about the
row science of genetics is given in simple
and popular style. President Fairchild
and Paul r. Popenoe editor of the mag
tzlne have put a ban on technical eX-
pressions, and simple. direct language
and carefully selected illustrations are
combined to interest the average man or
woman seeking information, as well as to
sdtlSlN tle StleitlSt tHpdSeQ dcllNelN III
any of the genetic studies. DIR. .hexan-
der Graham Bell and DIR. David Starr
Jordan are two of the countrys most
eminent students of genetics who recently
have contributed popular articles to the
association $ magazine.
The achievements of breeders of gri-
cultural crops and of improved varieties
Of domestic animals. according to officers
of the Senetic association. are given more
attention today than ever before in the
of the experiments have an important
economic Significance. The average per
son Is much Interested i'll the efforts of
the progressive farmer to increase the
Weld per acre of his crops. because in
this achievement lies tn. chief hope of
checking the increase in the cost of liv-
ing. The United States lags behind a
number of the European countries in the
amount Of food produced per acre. but in
burbank and the hundreds of other plant
breeders who are following similar lines
OF work there is promise that the farmer
OF the future may be able almost to double
the average acre yield OF some of the
staple food crops. The American Genetic
ASSOCIATION will encourage the breeding
Of better animals. as well as plants for
with continually dwinding meat supply
II VIII pay the farmer to raise only the
heaviest and best meat producing ami
mails.
Much needs to be learned concerning
the laws of heredity in humans. and
while the government is not engaged di-
rectly i'll eusenic studies, the subject is
close to the work of the United states
pubic health service. which will be rep
resented IN the association by Surgeon
General Blue and Assistant Surgeon Cen
crai Rucker. 1t is the view Of both Of
these government physicians that the
promotion of eugenics and public health
work such as sanitation and prevention of
disease must be encouraged together in
the world : strongest and healthiest man
mentally. morally and physically
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