Evening journal., 1917-01-09
COLONIZATION
OF THE Feeble
minded URGED
lcontlnued From FIrst Page.l

ordinary useful life in the community is
impossible for them. If they go wrong,
which they will without proper care, it
is because they car do no better.
According to. a partial survey made
recently i'll this State by the Children S
Bureau Of the Federal Government,
there are IN New Castle county alone
1861 questionable cases Many Of these
were Of The higher grade, but 2l2 cases
were distinctly feeble minded. As only
three Of these found were under seven
years OF age, we may be sure that the
actual number is much larger. FROM
all the evidence given in the survey we
may conclude that the proportion Of
feeble minded to the general population
is fully up to the average Of the United
States.
The survey reports that more than
so per cent. Of the feeble-minded child
rem Of school age who were found, at
tended school last year, in contact
with normal children, doing infinite
harm to them while receiving little or
no benefit themselves. Thirty-two are
in the hospital for insane, where the
per capita cost is necessarily much
above that Of proper institution for
the feeble-minded. Just twelve arc i'm
the Institution for Feeble-AInded in
Pennsylvania, paid for by the State.
Only twenty arc reported as illegiti-
mate. certain evidence that the sur
yey was Incomplete. Eleven arc
known to be wanderers without any
home and OF these several are girls
under the age of 90 years Thirty
four Of the 212 found have displayed
anti social tendencies. The feeble
minded arc easily exploited and led
into vice and crime
IT believe il it were possible to as
semble all the facts in the case, we
should find that il feeble-mindednes
and all that follows from It. could be
eliminated, the burden OF taxation
could be lessened by at least one
fourth. and the burden OF private
charity by much greater proper
ton.
I'VE must take proper care Of the
present detectives and we must pre-
vent the increase In seif-defense
and IL defense Of our children. VIC
must check the food of dependency
delinquency disease and defective.
ness We have the right. in common
humanity, for the sake of the defec.
uVes themselves we have the duty.
with proper training and control
and the right opportunity. every
moron and many imbeciles can earn
a livelihood. All the other imheciles
can help little and only the idiots
who are. perhaps one-sixth or the
u n MI
Any moron. with a mental are Of
nine or ten can earn his living. Think
what your bright boy Of ten could
learn 10 do, given physical strength
and time. Amy ordinary mechanical
trade would be possible TO HIM. But
he has not the strength nor the time.
he is ten Years old for only one year.
But the moron Of ten Is that age all
his life In body he may be a strong
man or woman. with the mind Of a
child.
Control OF these people after
training is the next consideration
Every State takes care Of its insane.
giving not only hospital care for the
durable, but permanent care for
those who do not recover. This is
recognized not only as one of the
dictates Of humanity hut also as good
public policy.
Mr.. Johnson advocated colonization
of the feeble-minded. although no
where has il been carried to perfec-
ton.
Delaware. with its favorable eli
mate" he said cts abundance Of
cheaD land. its access to markets, its
problem OF the feeble-minded not yet
grown to an unmanageable size. has
a wonderful opportunity to take
leading place in this. probably the
most necessary social and economic
reform waiting on the American peo-
pie"