The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1915-01-21

who have some nervous defect. Such
persons should mate with those whose
ancestry has no such defect. Al
though it is undesirable that feeble
minded, epileptic, or insane persons
should have children, yet if such
person mates wisely, and the children
of such union again wisely, the pro-
geny of the third generation win prob
ably be quite as free from nervous de-
feet as the general population is.
Again, the reproduction of the feeble
minded will not necessarily be dimin-
ished by laws which prevent them from
marrying. Such persons ordinarily have
very little self-control, and If left free
will have children whether married or
not. The laws against undesirable mar
riages need to be revised in most of the
American states; and the public needs
to be convinced that no such law can
eradicate the evil. Nothing but the
compulsory seclusion of all detectives
under humane housing, training, and
labor conditions will accomplish the
eugenic 'object of the community.
Laws which provide that candidates
for marriage must be free from syp-
hills or gonorrhea do good, provided
that proper provision be made for the
certificate to that effect from a trust
worthy physician appointed by the
state. The appointment for this duty
of an adequate number of physicians
by the state boards of health would
give new and important function to
these boards. The maintenance of such
staff, furnished with all the means of
applying adequate tests in doubtful
cases, would be somewhat expensive,
but this expense might perhaps be COW
cred in part by moderate addition to
the fee for marriage license. Each
physician would probably require the
aid of man and woman competent
to inquire into the family histories of
the applicants for marriage license.
"It is probable that much public in
struction will have to be given through
newspapers, magazines, lectures and
discussions in mems clubs and women s
clubs before sound and effective eu-
genie legislation can be placed on the
statute books. Again we find that pub
lie progress in relation to sex hygiene
and eugenics is to be procured chiefly
through educational methods. It is
therefore of the utmost Importance
that the processes adopted for diffus-
ing sound knowledge about the normal
and the morbid sex relations, the dan
gers of RIGHTEOUSNESS, safe mating with
a view of healthy progeny, the proven
ton of the reproduction of detectives,
the destruction of commerce in vice,
and the prevention of venereal con-
tagions should all be carried on plain
ly but delicately, without exaggeration
or morbid suggestion, without interior
ence with parental rights or religious
convictions, and in general in pure,
high minded, disinterested way. The
pioneering part of this work must be
done by voluntary associations, as is
usual in social reforms; but it should
be the constant aim of these private
organizations to enlist gradually the
public authorities in this vast under
taking, and to transfer to the public
treasury as fast as possible the support
of all those parts of the work which
experience proves to be of sure and
permanent public advantage. The pio-
neering ir regard to both research and
practical measures will probably con
tinue for many years to be the work
of voluntary associations. E"