Page Eight 



EVOLUTION 



October, 1928 



EUOLUTtON 



A Journal of Nature 



To combat bigotry and superstition and 



develop the open mind by popularizing 



natural science 



Published monthly by 



Evolution Publishing Corporation 



96 Fifth Ave., New York, N. Y. 



, Telephone: Watkins 7587 



L. E. Katterfeld, Managing Editor 



Allan Strong Broms, Science Editor 



Subscription rate: One dollar per year 



In lists of five or more, fifty cents 



Foreign subscriptions ten cents extia. 



Single copy 10c; 20 or more 5c each 



To dealers, on consignment, 6c. 



Entered as second class matter at the 

 Post Otfice at New York, N. Y., January 

 7, 1»28, under the Act of March 3, 187a. 



NUMBER 9 



OCTOBER, 1928 



ARICANSAS ADOPTS 



ANTI-EVOLUTION LAW 



The fundamentalists have won the first 

 battle in their campaign to take control 

 of the schools of the United States. Tliey 

 have just carried their anti-evolution law 

 in Arkansas by an overwhelming major- 

 ity. So now it is unlawful, in every tax- 

 supported school of that State, to teach 

 that "man has ascended or descended from 

 any lower order of animals." 



This was to be expected. Furthermore, 

 we expect the fundamentalists to secure 

 the adoption of similar anti-evolution laws 

 in every State in which they submit the 

 question to popular referendum vote, as 

 long as the scientific world continues side- 

 stepping this question. 



Some wise men in Arkansas actually 

 thought they might defeat the proposed 

 law by keeping mum. Their tactic was 

 based upon the mistaken notion that "the 

 way to defeat the anti-evolution law is to 

 keep the people from finding out what 

 evolution really means." So they did not 

 even try to take advantage of this won- 

 derful opportunity to enlighten the peo- 

 ple. Wherever "evolutionists" adopt such 

 an abject attitude the fundamentalists are 

 sure to win. 



The opinion of some scientists that it 

 doesn't matter what "the masses" think 

 or believe is also fatal. They must realize 

 that in a republic Mr. and Mrs. Average 

 Man have votes, and their lack of under- 

 standing is of serious moment. If Mr. 

 Scientist had to make his home in a swamp 

 he would immediately plan to drain it to 

 make it as healthy as possible for habita- 

 tion. Yet he lives on serenely in the midst 

 of a swamp of abysmal ignorance far 

 more dangerous to the healthy progress 

 of the race, without any feeling of re- 

 sponsibility toward it. So bigot and dema- 

 gog take advantage of the situation. 



Men of science must become aware of 

 their social responsibility. It is not enough 

 for them to know. They must pass their 



knowledge along, must try to bring to the 

 mass at least some conception of what 

 The Scientific IMethod means, at least an 

 inkling of what it means to be scientific- 

 ally Open Minded instead of dogmatic. 

 They must make popular enlightenment 

 their goal. 



The fundamentalists will not stop with 

 Arkansas. That is only their first step. 

 Nineteen other States are open to funda- 

 mentalist attack via the Initiative and 

 Referendum route, and they have sworn 

 that in due time they will tackle all of 

 them. And when they have sufficient foun- 

 dation in these States they intend to put a 

 law through Congress making all books 

 and papers explaining evolution unmail- 

 able, besides '"forcing the teaching out of 

 every public school on the American con- 

 tinent." 



What are YOU going to do about it? 

 Remain discreetly aloof as you did in the 

 case of Arkansas? Wait until the horses 

 are all stolen before you try to shut the 

 bam door? Wait until freedom of teach- 

 ing is completely abolished before you 

 begin to fight for it? 



There is only one road to security ol 

 academic freedom. Not the ostrich-like pre- 

 tense that there is no issue; not the cow 

 ardly camouflage that was prevalent in 

 Arkansas; not a resting of the case on 

 quibbles about the ''constitutionality" ol 

 such ridiculously silly laws, but a NULLI. 

 FICATION of those laws through POPU- 

 LAR ENLIGHTENMENT. Drain the 

 swamps of ignorance through popular ed- 

 ucation in Natural Science, and the mos- 

 quitoes of bigotry that carry the poison 

 of superstition will disappear and the hu- 

 man race will begin to lead a healthy 

 mental life. 



This is a tremendous task, but it is a noble 

 task, and Evolution calls on all who will 

 to help. Men of science especially should 

 now come forward as militant champions 

 of the freedom to teach whatever facts are 

 discovered, no matter with what precon- 

 ceived notions they may conflict. Every 

 opportunity should be utilized to educate 

 the public as to what evolution means. 

 Not only through the class-room, but 

 through the platform, radio, movie, maga- 

 zines and newspapers, ten thousand spokes- 

 men of science should lift their voices, so 

 that an understanding of the methods of 

 science may replace popular superstition 

 and bigoted belief. 



Wherever fundamentalists raise the issue 

 in a State Legislature or by launching a 

 popular referendum the whole weight of 

 every scientific body in the land should 

 encourage the local teachers to make a 

 stand-up fight for academic freedom and 

 support them in it until victory is won. 



ISN'T THIS AGAINST THE LAW? 



Science Service reports that a baby 

 girl born recently in Knoxville, Tennessee, 

 has a tail seven inches long. 



RELIGIOUS LIBERTY? 



Charles Smith, Atheist, native of Ar- 

 kansas, went back to his home state to 

 discuss the anti-evolution law. 



He found that Arkansas already has a 

 law making it illegal to mention the name 

 of "God, or Jesus, our Savior" except in 

 reverence or worship. So he was put in 

 jail. When he appeared in court he was 

 not permitted to testify because a clause 

 in the Arkansas State Constitution prohi- 

 bits any atheist from holding public office 

 or testifying as a witness in court. 



So in Arkansas our boasted "religious 

 liberty" means only liberty to belong to 

 one or another religious sect. If you don't, 

 you're an outlaw. 



DANGER IN DEMOCRACY 



Those liberals who saw a cure-all for 

 every ill in the Initiative and Referendum 

 are being awakened rather rudely by the 

 use to which this supposed instrument of 

 progress is be'ng put by the fundament- 

 alists. Theres' danger in democracy unless 

 it is based upon popular enlightenment. 

 LET THERE BE LIGHT. 



TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN— 



Now that Arkansas has adopted its anti- 

 monkey law we'll hear wise-cracks from 

 many smart-aleck editors about the "back- 

 wardness of the backwoods", etc. 



The fact is that the people of Arkansas 

 stack up fairly well with the average in 

 other States. Religious bigotry is still 

 rampant everywhere. If it came to a pop- 

 ular vote fundamentalism would possibly 

 carry even the States from which our wise 

 editors look down on the rest of the coun- 

 try. Instead of considering the subject 

 taboo as in the past, let them open their 

 columns for some enlightening articles on 

 Man's real place in Nature. 



WHY NOT? 



Since they have the devil on the run 

 in Arkansas, the fighting fundamentalists 

 should follow up their anti-evolution vic- 

 tory with another referendum to outlaw 

 those twin heresies that the earth is 

 rcund, and that it revolves around the 

 sun- « , , 



Also, by all means, let's have a referen- 

 dum to declare gravitation illegal. 



4: * * 



And don't permit any one "in tax sup- 

 ported schools" to teach the circulation 

 of the blood until "the hand that writes 

 the pay-check" has voted on the subject. 

 * * » 



Isn't Genesis a sufficient text-book on 

 physics, chemistry, physiology and geo- 

 logy as well as biology? 



"Wise men are instructed by 'Reason'; 

 Men of less understanding by 'Experience'; 

 The most ignorant le»ni by 'Necessity'." 

 A. Nielen. 



"The Vulgar can not remain quiet." 

 Oliver Wendel Holmes. 



"Against stupidity the gods themselves 

 fight in vain." Schiller. 



''What we have done for ourselves alone 

 dies with us. What we have done for 

 others and the world remains and is im- 

 mortal." Albert Pike. 



