SELECTIVE BIRTH-RATE 177 



for any one on the margin to remain outside the 

 infected area. 



Nevertheless, the problem of pauperism is one of 

 pressing importance, and depends far more on the in- 

 heritance of human faculty than has been recognized. 

 Doubtless much unemployment and some consequent 

 pauperism are due to our want of organization of the 

 labour market. There is no month of the year when 

 some trade is not at its busiest, and a network of 

 labour exchanges could do much to suppress seasonal 

 unemployment. But when this is remedied, and when 

 allowance is made for dislocation caused by cycles of 

 good and bad trade, the evidence available goes to 

 show that some of the unemployed are in reality 

 unemployable. They have neither the will nor the 

 capacity to undertake steady work. As long as the 

 feeble-minded and the habitual criminal are allowed 

 to multiply at will, so long will a section of the com- 

 munity remain parasitic on the rest ; an expense to, 

 and a drag upon, their more efficient fellows. As we 

 have quoted above : " The character of every race of 

 men is the real limit to its numbers." Men of higher 

 ability will make more of the natural resources of a 

 country, will produce more sustenance. Moreover, it 

 is clear that, other things remaining unchanged, a rise 

 in the average ability of the race would mean increased 

 ease for every one in their allotted task, both indi- 

 vidually and in the saving of labour now expended 

 in supporting the incompetent. Again, as more and 

 more of the unskilled labour of the world is done by 

 machinery, there will be less and less demand for 

 unintelligent workers. Ability in mind and technical 



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