Evening star., 1921-10-09

well born I refer not to wealth or
social position. but to character. in
telligence and healthy body.
I'm other words, no matter how en-
tirely admirable as a political prin-
ciple may be the doctrine that all
are born equal, the fact is otherwise.
This may go against the grain, but
admission to the American Army. no
less the tests of physical condition
than those for intelligence, showed
how very different the different types
of mankind are.
"THE thought Of the eugenists is
that if this knowledge can be
widely disseminated it will become
! the judgment of the intelligent ma
jority that there are many types of
people in the nation of which an in
crease is desirable, but that there
are also some a decrease of which
would be a national benefit.
The increase of the. well born
types would tend to make a nobler,
happier. more efficient nation; the de-
crease of the lower types, would les
sen public burdens, advance industry.
in a general way solve the problem
of criminology. which bothers you, in
the United States, especially just now,
it seems.
''The increase of intelligence and
the decrease of crime and poverty
are high aims surely. They would
both be served, as 1 have shown: and
if we look to lower aQns. it is ap-
parent that an enormous general
economy would be achieved by elimi-
nation of that very heavy burden
which is due to the now normal ex-
penditure upon the care of the unfit.
LAS long as the unfit are with us
we must see that they do not suffer,
on the one hand. and, upon the other,
must protect ourselves as best We
may against the multiplication of
their unfitness. The only logical
procedure for us to adopt is to pro-
ceed along such lines as will decrease
the number born into our social
system.
There would we find the real solu-
, ton of the criminal problem, and not
only that, but the solution of many
other puzzles which cannot be direct
ly associated with criminology. but
nevertheless. complicate and handi-
cap the efforts of the human race
toward happiness.
when I say these things it may
be that lay myself open to the criti-
cism of some thinkers who deny the
possibility of the inheritance of ac-
| quired character. They definitely as
sumo that the training of the parent
can have no inuence upon the actual
inheritance of the child. My father
believed firmly in the possibility OF
transmitting acquired characteristics
and his teachings found many earnest
| followers.
"It was principally to the influence
of the German expert, Weissmann
that this theory was almost utterly
abandoned for a time and biological
experts generally maintained that the
children of educated parents would
be in no degree more easily educa.
BILE than others, as far as natural
capacity might be concerned. But
almost all experts agree that changes
in surroundings, whether produced by
natural or artificial means (consider-
! ing everything man made as 'arti-
! ficialD, will affect future generations
| X 4 +
ssTHIs, however. it is agreed, Is g
l process so slow that If we. OF
any specified human generation, hope
to produce effects appreciable in the
history of our times, we must look
to other methods for the improvement
of our nations human stocks.
"what other methods are there to
be found? This. only. is the way
Our better types must have more
children and our worse types fewer
i And now, surely, is the time for ef-
fort. The public mind, stimulated by
the wars intense activity. is in recap
tive mood for new ideas. This one
of race improvement Is full OF merit
with no dangers; safer. far, than
many Of the cults, political and eco
nomic, as well as social. toward which
men now seem ready to turn be-
cause they find 1t quite impossible to
| return placidly to complete re-estab.
llishment Of the old order.
'sThe aim, think, obviously. must be
to Increase the rate of multiplication
Of stocks above the average In heredi-
| tary qualities and to decrease 1t among
the less fit.
| students of -eugenics are Of every
shade of opinion, from that Of those
! who. regard racial progress as an as.
sured law of nature to that Of those
who believe they see evidence Of q
slow, progressive deterioration in the
innate qualities Of all civilized peoples
| What are inborn qualities? At one emo
Of the series we have those dependent
on q single something which the child
received before its birth from its par