FIFTY MILLION STRONG 



One thing is quite certain, America should have her atten- 

 tion directed to the need of a finer citizenship, not so much 

 to stimulate the passage of radical laws as to create a public 

 sentiment that will find expression in accomplishment. What 

 with the heterogeneous character of the nation's metropolitan 

 population, which represents admixtures of races and peoples 

 that come from parts of the world where the struggle for 

 mere existence has been the one thing commanding the atten- 

 tion of the great majority of the people, thus preventing the 

 development of the higher sentiments, it is imperative that 

 America give the matter of eugenics careful consideration. 

 It is generally recognized that America in undertaking the 

 assimilation of almost all the peoples of earth has assumed 

 a tremendous task. But the other task of developing a 

 higher average stock is equally difficult. Anyone who has 

 come a good deal into contact with people, wherever found, in 

 the city as well as in the country, is almost appalled at the 

 great amount of mediocrity and even sub-normality. 



The following beautiful stanza is found in Prof. G. W. 

 Fiske's illuminating little book, " Boy Life." 



A fire-mist and a planet, 



A crystal and a cell, 



A jelly-fish and a saurian, 



And caves where cave men dwell; 



Then a sense of law and beauty, 



And a face turned from a clod; 



Some call it evolution, 



But others call it God. 



How inspiring the thought that the Infinite God, Who 

 presided over this great world process, is not satisfied with 

 the composite human being that inhabits the earth today! 

 Back of the face turned from a clod is a mind, and in that 

 mind there is an irresistible longing to rise to higher levels 

 in response to higher voices. And in God's own time this 

 longing will come to realization. 



90 



