Biological Laws and Social Progress. dT 
his treatment of the dependent classes, man has suspended the process of 
natural selection; he preserves and cares for the mentally unfortunate, 
permits them to multiply. and by marriage with normal individuals, to 
increase the number of tainted persons in the community. At the same 
time he is placing on society the burden of caring for an increasing number 
of persons who are totally unable to care for themselves. The seriousness 
of this problem is well known and considerable progress has been made to- 
ward a solution. Increase of the abnormal must be prevented by proper 
measures, and the entire group of defectives must be reduced to the lowest 
possible minimum. At the same time, education of the public in regard to 
the importance of eugenic marriage will reduce the number of tainted per- 
sons in society. 
The entire situation, as I have described it, may be summarized as fol- 
lows: In the development of society certain laws of progressive evolution 
have been violated. Man has produced an artificial environment in which 
the defective classes are increasing while the educated classes are not per- 
petuating themselves. He has permitted the formation of social groups 
but has not insisted on the proper coordination of these organs of the social 
yody. In international affairs he still employs the “ape and tiger methods” 
of his ancestors. The scientist is interested in the solution of these problems 
Secause he is a citizen, and since the problems are largely scientific, he 
should assist in their solution. I will not go as far as Groves, who says 
‘that since the scientist has made our era, he is also responsible for its 
problems. The duty of the scientist is investigation. Our social problems 
have arisen because of the weakness of human nature. The supreme test is 
this: Can human intelligence devise plans for overcoming the defects of 
our social system, and haying found such plans will it be able to make them 
effective? Looking backward at the progress already made, there is reason 
for encouragement. Present conditions have been reached through a long 
process of development. There is every reason to believe that the scientific 
era of society has only begun. If all of the best elements will join in 
enforcing the necessary obedience to the fundamental laws of evolution, the 
golden age of society is yet to be. Such a future can be achieved only 
through cooperation. 
