Evening star., 1925-01-01
MARRIAGE CONTROL
. BY STATE FAVORED
Rules Governing Parenthood
Proposed by Massachusetts
Professor.

State control Of marriages as a
growing necessity for the perma-
nency of society and the betterment
OF the race and cessation of legis-
lation intended to disrupt marriage
through the divorce court were urged
today by Prof. E. A. Kirkpatrick of
Fitchburg. Mass, before a meeting of
the American Association for the Ad-
vancement of Science.
While what individuals shall live
together is chiefly a matter of in
declared, the kind of children that
shall be born and how they shall be
given a chance for development is
most certainly chiefly the affair of
the State, because 1t represents the
permanency of society and the race
from generation to generation.
while II cannot be said that man
can discover a better method of pro-
noting race betterment than by in
dividuals choosing their mates and
rearing children in permanent fam
lilies, yet science can give data as to
the probability of certain matings re-
sulting in superior children-although
it cannot at present plan for this"
Would Give State Control.
Prof. Kirkpatrick said the State
should have control in the case of in
ferior, diseased and defective indi-
viduals, at least. He cited the enor-
nous time and effort that is wasted
in framing and executing divorce
laws which have been largely with
the object of restricting individua
choice and not in the interests OF race
betterment.
Gould not this effort and expense,
he continued, be better spent or
marriage laws, working toward the
mating of the right sort of persons
to produce children and maintain &
desirable family life? Why not worl
toward the protection and perma
nency of marriage laws rather thar
toward legally disrupting them?
Some recent legislation concerns
the marriage of deficient and dis
eased persons, which is a step in tn
right direction. This must, however
go much further, by providing mean
of determining deficiency, for which
there is now no provision. Laws re
quiring health certificate. If perfectet
and improved will no doubt prove o
great value, as also would a law re
Quiring the declaration of intention
of marriage for definite time.
Hold Up Marriage Licenses.
no marriage license should be issued
1t cannot be denied that laws cover
ing the granting of marriage license
are far less rigid than those granting
licenses to operate engines, moving
picture machines or for selling drug
and practicing medicine. Scienc
knows enough of biology, anthropology
sociology and physiology to be Of grea
assistance in framing marriage laws.
The physical condition of ever,
person should be recorded at birth
at 6 years and again at voting age
also careful records kept Of deatl
certificates. All of this information
scientifically analyzed, will go fa
toward helping formulate defnit
and reliable rudes to govern tn
granting of licenses to produce chill
dren and rightfully care for them"
Control of these features of society
Prof Kirkpatrick said, is just a
much a matter for scientific researcl
and assistance las any other problem
Of civil, mechanical, electrical o.
social engineering"
Food, too, is prominent factor IL
determining the quality of nations
population, Prof. Rudolph NJ. Binde
of the department OF sociology o
New York University declared. Food
he said, Is largely responsible for tn
surplus energy so evident in SOM
races and so lacking in others, all o
which is a direct result of prope
diet.