148 The Journal of Heredity 



defect of the census of 1910. In Dr. 2. To attempt to secure the presentation of 



Hill's paper already quoted, and written f"^^^' P^'titions from other organizations or 



, t^ ^ . -1 1 ,.T • ^ 1 from indivKUials inttTC'sU'd in this sumect. 



a few weeks ago, we read : It is to be 



hoped . . . that the returns ob- Whether such a resolution would be 

 tained at the census of 1910 will not be ...^.i^ome or not, I sincerelv hope that 

 similarly neglected, but as yet no steps individuals will write to individual con- 

 have been taken towards their tabula- „ressmcn urging such action as is here 

 tion." If it had been the policy of this proposed 



conference to adopt resolutions or make j^ mv judgment, no statistical result 

 recommendations. I should have pro- ^^^^ ^-^^^ f^.^^ ^^is conference more 

 posed the adoption ot some such resolu- valuable than a concerted efTort to 

 tion as the following: increase the available information re- 

 Resolved, that the National Conference on garding the COm])arativc fecundity of the 

 Race Betterment appoint a committee with various strains in our population, for 

 ''"r^To memorialize the Congress of the this information lying unused in the 

 United States in the name of this Conference, government fllcs IS of more value and 

 urging it to provide the funds needed for com- importance than the entire sum of 

 piling the returns now on the schedules of the knowledge on differential fecundity 

 census of 1910 and therehv measuring the tecun- j u .i-i, a • i" 

 ditv of the races and nat'ional elements within ^^OW possessed by the American people, 

 the' United States: 



The Need of Accuracy 



Legislation with regard to the sources of racial degeneracy is certain to become 

 more and more frequent in the near future; the idea of race betterment is not the 

 monoply of a few faddists and cranks; it is growing to have an almost religious 

 significance with a large number of persons in this country [iMigland] and the 

 movement foreshadowed by the present Mental Deficiency Act, is certain to 

 grow apace whether or no it be backed by a scientific study of degeneracy. Shall 

 there or shall there not be an accurate science of eugenics on which we can base 

 legislative action? vShall we be content with mere exiDressions of opinion, with slip- 

 shod data, and with inaccurate treatment of even such material"" The only answer 

 possible is that we cannot be satisfied with such a condition of affairs in the case 

 of man. The service of man demands the very best that science can produce, 

 and those of us who ha\^e the highest hojjcs for the new science of eugenics in the 

 future are not a little alarmed by many of the recent contributions to the subject 

 which threaten to place eugenics with the older "social science" and much of 

 modem sociology — entirely outside the plane of true science. Eugenics ought 

 to be an accurate description at worst, a quantitative and exact appreciation 

 at best, of the biological forces which control the evolution of national welfare. — 

 David Heron: Mendelism and the Problem of Mental Defect (1913). 



Eugenic Civilization 



The best form cf ci\ilizati()n in resi)ect to the im])ro\-ement of tlie race, would 

 be one in which society was not costly; where incomes were derived chiefly from 

 professional sources, and not much through inheritance; where every lad had a 

 chance of showing his abilities, and, if highly gifted, was enabled to achieve a 

 first-class education and entrance into ])rofcssional life, by the liberal help of 

 the exhibitions and scholarshi])s which he had gained in his early youth; where 

 marriage was held in as high honor as in ancient Jewish times; where the pride 

 of race was encouraged (of course I do not refer to the nonsensical sentiment of 

 the present day. that goes unfler that name) ; where the weak would find a refuge 

 and a welcome in celibate monasteries and sisterhoods, and lasty. wliere the 

 better sort of emigrants and refuges from other lands were invited and welcomed, 

 and their descendants naturalized. — Francis Galton: Hereditary Genius (1869). 



