MEASURES TO ENCOURAGE FERTILITY OF GIFTED 361 



age the gifted to have more children than they have today is to work in the 

 interest of humanity. The Roman Catholic Church does not take a nega- 

 tive attitude towards eugenics, as the encyclic "Casti Connubii" clearly 

 proves. The Jesuit father, Professor Muckermann, is one of the principal 

 advocates of eugenics in Europe. 



30. The only action the state can take is to encourage desirable cases by grant- 

 ing special facilities to parents with large families. 



It goes without saying that in civilised countries the State cannot compel 

 the inhabitants to have a large number of children. Enough has been said 

 to show that only a complete reversal of public opinion can increase the 

 desire to have children. But the State can by various measures, both social 

 and financial, grant privileges to large families. 



31. The state should grant a family allowance or reduce taxes in proportion 

 to the parents' income. 



Although I do not attach great value to these measures — they have only a 

 stimulating effect — I am of opinion that they should not be rejected. In 

 various countries family allowances or tax reductions have already been 

 introduced, but these measures have the great disadvantage of acting dys- 

 genetically instead of eugenetically. At least when the allowance or the 

 rebate is a fixed amount, it is of value only for families with a small income, 

 consequently for the lower social classes; precisely for those who have the 

 lowest number of gifted children. 



32. If the system of tax reduction and family allowances is to serve eugenics 

 reform, the annual income tax rebate or family allowance should be so large for 

 all the beneficiaries, regardless of their income, as to cover a substantial part of 

 the amount expended on the children's education. 



We have made it clear, I think, that this allowance cannot possibly be 

 equally large for the various classes of the population. But it is advisable 

 that the money thus supplied by the State should be furnished by the child- 

 less couples, those with few children and the bachelors, the rate to be accord- 

 ing to the respective social classes. 



33. The law of succession should be modified in such wise that only part of 

 the property should go to the children of those who have had only a relatively 

 small number of children. 



What percentage should be assigned to the heirs in small sized families 

 should, in my opinion, depend on the number of children, the latter's age 

 and the value of the inheritance. If the children are still so young that their 

 bringing up will involve expense and they cannot yet earn anything, their 

 share should be larger than when the children are already grown up. Fur- 

 thermore, I think that the percentage should decrease as the inheritance 



