206 THE MENDEL JOURNAL 



interests of the medical profession. But with that we liave 

 nothing to do. It lies outside the scope of this Journal. We are, 

 however, concerned in pointing out that an army of medical 

 officials, of sanitary inspectors, carrying around with them 

 hundredweights of new palates in gold, of teeth in enamel, of 

 pig's thyroid, of baby incubators, and the other paraphernalia, 

 such as spectacles and free food, nurses and ambulances, that 

 pertain to the craft of saving the unfit, could not possibly make 

 those twelve lost children, derived from such a stock, worthy or 

 happy citizens. In anguish they were born, but in peace they 

 have died, for they died early. Is it kindness to save them, tliat 

 tliey may suffer the prolonged misery arising from civic unfitness 

 and the pain which springs from physical imperfectness ? Does 

 it reduce the ultimate or sum total of human misery, to help this 

 weakly-viable race prolong its existence until it can reproduce 

 its like ? We who ask that these things shall be left alone are 

 the true lovers of humanity. We are, too, the true artists of life, 

 for we give an ideal transcending that false sentiment which 

 seeks to save Hfe at all cost, even though by so doing it degrades it. 

 We seek for facile strength, surpassing beauty, and sponta- 

 neous liappiness. That is a true sentiment, because it is a virile 

 conception based on truth and the noblest love of our race. 



Of course, we do not urge that these twelve children should 

 have been left to die in pain or to endure anguish. No good can 

 be served by such conduct. So long as the parents can afford to 

 employ medical aid under the conditions of voluntary service and 

 mutual contract, we do not see that anyone has a right to inter- 

 fere. But the moment this race comes to the State or to the Local 

 Authority for aid, then the Nation has the right to say : " You are 

 obviously an unfit race, a burden to your community, and a 

 source of misery to yourselves. We will relieve your pain and 

 distress, but at the same time understand that your civic liberties 

 are much curtailed and your freedom to propagate your race is 

 altogether and irrevocably prohibited." Such a policy has no 

 latent dangers to better citizens. It can be practically worked 

 without any increase of officialdom, which just now is swarming 

 over the land and devouring its harvest like locusts. It gives all 

 men a chance of maintaining themselves free if they so desire it. 

 It is unaccompanied with those social dangers of momentum which 

 inevitably follow every attempt to exercise unnecessary compul- 

 sion or duress upon, or official inspection and control of the people. 

 Sooner or later such compulsion and control gathers velocity and 

 mass and ultimately affects the liberties, rights, and legitimate 

 privileges of the Classes. We are afraid the Classes who initiated 

 free compulsory education did not recognise that fact. And yet 

 it is an obvious biological truism, that as soon as we create a 



