The Stroller's weekly and Douglas Island news., 1921-10-08
LEGISLATION
 TOO RADICAL
Major Leonard Darwin, Son of Famous Father Gives Views on
 Matter of Birth Control


 Matter of Birth Control New York.-a scionco to join with law and religion Iu settling Che seal of approval on morriagc2
 Wm super race be evolved | through birth control exercised by parents under supervision of a cu- | genie committee.
 Should special honorary pensions ! be issued to large families of biolog- ically nt chldron2 And toChildren of school teachers?
 Maj. Leonard Darwin. famous son of Che famous Charles. considered these questions. It wished Go know lust what practical use tho Illus trious scientist expects to make of Che theories he has helped to de- yelop from Che greater theory hia father presented Co startled race.
 Tho uu. distinguished. white haired old man smiled gently and diuvowed hope Of any such radical accomplishment through cugcnics for long time at least.
 Stu Matter for Future
 Answering my first question, he said.
 "At present wo may only look for ward Go science giving general di- rccuons which we must trust Go thc ndIvdua Ito follow.
 "I do not believe that at present lerIslatIon could bo enacted Co apply to Che ordinary individual mo mat ter how unfit Only In case of Che feeble in mind and certain types ot criminals can Che state stop in and nrcyont propagation by seggrcgotng Che scxcs.'
 Maj Darwin has just arrived here to attend Che second international congress on eugcnics which opened hero with Dra w. n. Fairfield. os- born. director of Che Museum oi Nat .uml History. as president
 Tho first congres was held in Lon- don in l9i2. It was here Chat Maj. Darwin became active in attempting to bring into Che region ot practical poHHcs Che science which Sir Fran r.s Calton coined from Che "theory of natural selection conceived by his cousin. Che great pioneer of cyo- mHonary theory. Charles Darwin.
 Tho statement chat Maj. Darwin made for me was astonishingly less radical chan opinions advanced by opr own scientists iIo refused to give unouaudod indorsemcnt Go birth control premiums on physical ht- ncss possibility of great race growing out of mixture of an ex- isung races.
 Heredity Qualified
 He would not state. as Prof. liry- ing Fisher of Yale indicated in his Impending Problems of EugcnIcs, that an acquired characteristics of parents are inherited by children
 Taking up my questions he went on:
 Birth control win have Go be con- .if.r.f eusnpct it has come Go ..av From Che ougcnics point of vicw it has done harm by limiting Che output of children among thc moro ft We now want to know if t is possible to counteroct this harm by its operation amongst Che unfit Moro research is needed be- fore wc may condemn or udore birth control
 "Couccruug pensions for Che bi- oIorIcslly dt law might give econ omic stimulus in such manner. The difficulty at present. is Go know how can this bo most wisely cnectcd. In my opinion there is no class whom it is more important to interest in radical problems than teachers. be- cau.e of their influence with Che coming generations ! wish ] could see my way Co accomplish more mar riaecs amode women employed as teachers There are obvious admin istrauyo difficulties in the way on which ! hardly could express an opinion.
 "As to tho eugenic edect of en- couraeur their marriages. think . it would be decidedly beneficial
 "In Che present state Of our ignor- ance ! certainly would not indorsc Che project of forming a great race from all existing races ] would want to know more about tho cncct ! of race mixture"
 Other scientists have sought Go prove transmission Of acquired char acteHsucs. Guy In France has m- nounccd Che pornicious effect of O. bacco on offspring of animals.
 Von der Wolk has recorded a now species of tree resulting from naples injured by bacterial injection.
 Maj. Darwin. however said ! changes effected during our lives be- ling passed on is one Of the most dis putcd points in science.