MISCELLANEA 207 



parasitic official class,* it will, true to the instincts and attributes 

 of parasites, swarm by multiplication over the body of its host, 

 until at last host and parasite are both destroyed. 



As soon as a hooligan or other criminal is arrested for some 

 felony or misdemeanour, or an unemployable seeks the shelter of 

 the worldiouse, the Nation has a right to say : " In the light of 

 modern knowledge — which endorses some of the concep- 

 tions of Plato — we know that the committal of crime or perennial 

 laziness is in many instances, perhaps in most, a manifestation of 

 congenital civic defectiveness. We, therefore, want to know your 

 history. We shall construct your pedigree, and if we find that 

 your race is unworthy, you and all its afflicted members shall lose 

 your ordinary civic liberties, and for you and your race there shall 

 be no further opportunity of propagation." That is the only 

 sensible line to adopt towards congenital criminals and loafers. 

 The demagogic policy of providing concerts and lectures, and 

 palatial dwelUngs in lordly grounds, and the singing of hymns and 

 psalms, may be effective play to the gallery, but so far as states- 

 manship is concerned it is a mere casting of pearls before an 

 inappreciative^audience. It certainly is not Biologv applied to 

 Life. 



The Local Government Board for Scotland and 

 "The IVIendel Journal." 



In Part 2 of The Mendel Journal, in the course of a reply 

 to Dr. Cobbett's criticisms of a previous article in Part 1, entitled 

 " A Plea for the Operation of a More Virile Sentiment in Human 

 Affairs," Mr. Geo. P. Mudge described certain lamentable results 

 of the boarding-out system of pauper children as practised by 

 the Glasgow Parish Council. As a result of that article and 

 of the comments it called forth in the Press the Local Government 

 Board for Scotland sent a Commissioner to enquire into the 

 allegations contained in Mr. Mudge's article. The Commissioner 

 issued a report last September, and a copy was forwarded to 

 us for publication in this Journal. Its length, however, together 

 with Mr. Mudge's reply, which is long and introduces new matter, 

 precludes us from publishing either in this Journal. We under- 

 stand that it is Mr. Mudge's intention to publish his reply 

 together with a copy of the Report in book form very shortly. 

 A brief reply was made in the chief Scotch newspapers imme- 

 diately after the publication of the Report. 



* Of course we do not class all officials as parasites. Some, like those 

 of the Army, the Navy, and the Bench, are absolutely essential in aU states 

 of society, whether barbaric or civilised. And we need to obtain the best 

 men we can for the work. 



Taylor, Qarneti, Evans, & Co., Ltd., Printers, London and Manchester. 



