236 



The Journal of Heredity 



It woiiki tluii be disco\ered that men 

 of a certain mental level fail, men of 

 another mental level are fairh- success- 

 ful, men of still a third mental level are 

 highly successful and efficient." 



To carr>' the principle further, 

 "society not only has a right to pro- 

 tect itself but it seems clear that 

 society has a right to take any action 

 necessary to attain the highest social 

 efficiency. If this is true, why should 

 we not ascertain the mental le\el of 

 peojile in various acti\ities and when 

 we find any inefficient, clearly on 

 account of their lack of intelligence 

 or other qualities, why should not 

 society have the right to transfer 

 that individual to some other line 

 of work where he would be more 

 efficient? This may be too advanced 

 step to be taken at once but it will 

 sureK- come to that eventually. 

 Such a procedure would work no 

 hardship on the individual because 

 in the long run it would actually 

 increase his happiness and lengthen 

 his life, for there is nothing more 

 deadening and discouraging than to 

 be compelled to work at something 

 where one is conscious that he is 

 inefficient. Many a person is in- 

 efficient because of an uncongenial 

 environment which a better intelli- 

 gence would prompt him to change. 



Moreover, this emotional condition 

 has a physical basis which, while 

 sometimes beyond control, is neverthe- 

 less in many cases capable of being 

 much modified by the use of .sufficient 

 intelligence." 



Dr. Goddard then goes on to deal 

 with the problem of the delinquents, 

 proper treatment of whom would 

 largely reduce crime and inunorality, 

 with an accompanying lessening of 

 the expense of go\ernment. 



In stating clearly — e\en baldly — 

 the doctrine of UKMital le\els and push- 

 ing its application to a logical con- 

 clusion. Dr. Goddard has done a real 

 service to biology. The easy read- 

 ability of the book — in spite of defects 

 of style — will appeal to non-technical 

 readers, who will find in it food for 

 many thoughts. One need not agree 

 with all the author's statements, 

 to agree with him that the recog- 

 nition of the innate and inalterable 

 differences among human beings is 

 fundamental to social jirogress. 

 This will e\entually make it possible 

 "for the intelligent to imderstand 

 the mental levels of the unintelli- 

 gent, or those of low intelligence, 

 and to so organize the work of the 

 world that e\'er\' man is doing such 

 work and bearing such responsibility 

 as his mental le\-el warrants." 



The Experience of a 



Mi-:nt.\l Hv(iii;\K, two years' ex- 

 perience of a clinical psychologist. 

 By Lillien J. Martin, Ph. D., Pp. 89, 

 Price SI. 40. Baltimore, Warwick and 

 York. 1920. 



Clinical work in mental hygiene is 

 a relati\ely new de\'elopment, that 

 has attracted iinicli public interest. 

 Dr. Martin in this little book tells 



Clinical Psychologist 



just how it is done. Her frank and 

 detailed exposition is presinnabi\ in- 

 tended for other psychologists who 

 may wish to work up a "practice"; 

 but it will be eciualK' \aiuable and 

 intenseK' interesting to laxnien who 

 seek information about this yoimg and 

 imi:)ortant field of science. .Any in- 

 telligent adult could read this book 

 with pleasure and profit. P. P. 



