Evening star., 1944-09-25
Letters to The Star
Argues for Adaptability as
Survival Value
4 survival Value
To the Editor of The Star:


To the Editor Of The Star:
1t seems to me that Aubrey J. Car
penter is laboring under = serious mis-
conception Of the survival of the f1ttest
as a fundamental law Of nature which
man cannot change (see his letter in
The Star of September 18). What we
call law Of nature Is not q law in
the ordinary sense-a rule to be obeyed.
It is simply a recognition by us that
certain causes produce certain results.
We cannot destroy that natural Sc
quence but we can avoid or modify
it, Look at the airplane and see what
1t has done to the so-called law OF
gravitation.
In his struggle for life, man cannot
choose his parents; but he can, and
does, choose his surroundings. And he
who adapts himself to his environment
has the best chance Of survival. This
has been called, most unfortunately,
"the survival of the f1ttest," whereas it
properly should be called "the survival
of the most adaptable" For it is not
always the strongest, the best quail
fled, the best prepared, who survive. A
rifle bullet kills brave man just as
readily as 1t kills a coward. And quite
often it is the weak and the unit who
survive over the strong and the fit.
II it were true that only the fittest
survive, then all men and women of
today ought to be strong, tall geniuses,
for mankind has been on this earth long
enough to breed better race in every
generation. Why do we find so many
misflts after all those thousands of
years? In % centuries since the death
of Homer mankind has not seen an
other poet of his vision Benjamin
Franklin 1706-l790) was the greatest
American of his day: in $50 years Amer
lea has failed to produce another man
like him. Millions of the fittest men
have been killed in the present war, and
millions OF the less fit will survive, and
II we should have third World War
with new massacres of the fit, we might
as we'll say good-by to civilization. Our
hope Of survival is not in any mythical
law of nature. 1t depends on abolish
ing war and giving every citizen
chance to work in peace and to enjoy
life. And that, fortunately, can be
done when men come to their senses
If they ever do. j. j. KRAL.
Common Sense" VS. Loyalty"
To the Editor OF The Star:
l wonder how many people read in
your paper the statement made by Gov
Coke r. Stevenson Of Texas that: Il
have always been a Democrat MY rec
ord for party loyalty has been unbroken
from my first vote to my last" And
wonder how many people thought as
they read, Now just which does Gov.
Stevenson consider most important,
loyalty to his party or loyalty to his
country?"
This thought occurred to me and
Immediately remembered an incident
that happened in New York a few
weeks ago. A woman was visiting
relative Of mine and in the course OF
conversation she expressed her concern
over possible fourth term. Why" she
said, lit certainly would be equivalent
to dictatorship" Then some one asked
her whom she intended to vote for.
oh" She said, "of course, III vote for
Roosevelt again, but isn't 1t terrible that
he wants to run again2"
Let us never forget that socalled
party loyalty" put Hitler in power and
kept him there. Without it, he could
never have set the world in the awful
turmoil that it is in today.
Good hard common sense never was
needed so badly as 1t is today.
G. B ].