The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1921-09-06
SCIENTIST SEES GRADUAL
 DETERIORATION IN RACE

tion- A further Regeneration of the vermiform appendix would probably be a positive advantage-'
 Despite the dark picture he has painted of the course of the Amer1can race, Dr. Holmes is not entirely pes simistic- Tn the course of his in vestigations he has found several fac tors which tend to indicate that na- lure is herself correcting the de- ffciencies which modern civilization has conferred on the race '"The one agency which appears to be- most clearly working toward racia! mates.'' he says. '.At any rate there is a large amount of evidence that It is favoring the maintenance of physi- cal vigor and keenneSs of mind. Sex ual selection is still in more doubt full position.
 t'To a certain extent it retains what might be considered it's primitive function of denying the privilege of parenthood to the poorer or uglier in dividualS of the species, but the more capable and independent spirits, es- pecially among women, are coming to be denied this privilege also"
 Intelligent recognition of the ra- cial maladies which affect the present day and generation forms the only method for coeducation, says the col lege writer and lecturer.
 "It is only by recognizing these and understanding the methods of ther
 
 taken to keep them in check, he says.
 Rather feeble attempts hae been made to curtail the proposition or mental detectives through sterlhz1ng or segregating some of the worst Of these undesirable clements. The practice carried on much more e&- tensively would undoubtedly relieve i society of an immense burden But i the elimination of ouEs worst deiec- I'd | difficulty which consists in the losS of stocks which carry our best ln- heritance.
 wards which have som etimes been | advocated for increasing the birth of desirable parents would prove very | effective. There is much to De salo III making parenthood voluntary In all classes so as to restrict the bipth rate among the people of better endoW- ments. This of itself would lead to greater relative fecundity among those of superior intelligence, and so enough to prevent all increase of pop fulation the result would doubtless be socially and eugenically desirable 'For most civilized countries, there i striction of the birth rate must 1 sooner or later become imperative. IT this should occur mainly in people
 of better endowments who already | have a low D1rIn Tdl0, iOAS~ tion of our racial inheritance will go on at an accelerated pace.
 "An ignorant and poverty-stricken proletariat will multiply rapidly through sheer lack of restraint The best blood of a nation is it's most i priceless possession.
 ''It is a hopeful sign that here and 1 there among people who have inner
 tied a generous measure of deslrous
 traits ungenic considerations have led to the rearing Of larger families. | On the other hand, many who are
 aware that they carry hereditary
 taint refrain from passing possible
 affIiction to posteriay.
 | '"Those who have been most for tunate in the possession of heredi- I tary gifts should feel that upon them rests an unusual obligation to see | that their qualifications are not al i lowed to perish from the earth The
 race has it's fate in itse own hands to make or to mar. Will it ever take itself in hand and shape its own destiny?" | Dr. Holmes has been associated
 with the University of California ia culty for a number of years and is a recognized authority on evolution and eugenics. Besides his book, just off the press, he is the author Of
 ''The Evolution of Animal 1ntell1- gence," sStudies in Animal Beha- lvior," and other volumes affecting Tho 1oroeresS of the human race.