APi'KNDlX 309 



nearly so for pedestrians, and have thereby served to repel in- 

 vaders and enable tlie jealous tribesmen to protect their princi- 

 pality against the hated alien." In such cases of coufinnation 

 by natural selection, i-cason is only suhsc(|ucntly applii'd to 

 justify. 



Keller -'^ has made good the point that rational societal selection 

 is most active and successful in the realm of maintenance mores. 

 "The nearer the mores come to the struggle for existence, the 

 more nearly tliey concern self-maintenance," says Keller, "the 

 more vivid is the demonstration of their expediency and inex- 

 pediency."^- In other words, the ade(|uacy of means to ends is 

 most striking in maintenance mores. Hence I'ational societal 

 selections that have taken place in subsistence activities are sub- 

 jected to the searching test of expediency, and it is these adapta- 

 tions that natural selection working groupwise is quickest to 

 confirm. 



Science makes rational societal selection coincide with the limi- 

 tations set by nature's laws. Health ordinances based npon sani- 

 tary science favor the survival of communities practicing them. 

 Thus rational societal selection, when really effective, becomes 

 impersonal, like an elemental force of imture, because natural 

 selection working groupwise confirms its adaptations. This is 

 why man has progressed so far in manual aiul industrial arts 

 and in engineering and has been so slow to develop social science. 

 In the former field natural selection is quick to note survival 

 value and to ratify or reject ; in the latter field there is no such 

 decisive test. 



T^ut although the process of societal selection attains adapta- 

 tion at less eost and time, its results do not "stay put." Its 

 adaptations, unless confirmed by natural selection working group- 

 wise, depend upon the continuing pressure of social ascendancy. 

 Kemove the pressure and the social order disintesrrates. l\ussian 

 society becomes chaotic as soon as the firm grip of its ancient 

 ruling order is relaxed. Utopian communities have ever failed 

 to preserve traiKpiillit}- once the restraining bonds of custom and 



■'•■I ><orictal i:niliiti,ni. pp. 130-32. 

 s- /6/(/., p. 132. 



