September 15, 1922] 



SCIENCE 



301 



ly arouse antagonism or even doubt. Danger 

 comes with the presentation and insistence 

 upon the claims of some particular type of 

 evolution. 



It should be said plainly that there are 

 abundant unquestioned facts upon which our 

 theories are based, and while we may differ in 

 our opinions as to the signiflcanee of those 

 facts, they are generally aoeepted. Variation 

 of individuals of species or race, reproduction 

 of like forms, the struggle for existence, the 

 adaptation of organism and environment 

 through the cutting ofl: of the unfit, the produc- 

 tion of new forms by hybridization, all these 

 are facts of everyday experience, facts that 

 may be taught without raising questions as to 

 the teacher's religious views, facts which if 

 more clearly and consistently taught would 

 tend to develop a better trained group of 

 scientific workers, teachers and general citi- 

 zenry. 



Trom the standpoint of right and wrong the 

 teacher in college or elsewhere can not more 

 justly force his theories upon an unwilling or 

 unsuspecting public than can a religious en- 

 thusiast require all men to subscribe to his be- 

 liefs. The quack doctor, the religious fanatic, 

 and the poorly balanced teacher of science are 

 similar in that they are alike dangerous, and 

 the general public should consider all with sus- 

 picion. Lampooning earnest religious folks 

 because they refuse to accept all that comes 

 to them in the name of science will not help 

 (to develop the very desirable discrimination 

 between the true and the false, but will rather 

 arouse more vigorous antagonism. There is 

 no fundamental basis for conflict between en- 

 lightened and sincere churchmen and true 

 scientists. The development of American in- 

 stitutions and ideals and the advancement of 

 the material welfare of the American people 

 have come from the efforts alike of church- 

 men, statesmen and scientists; and for con- 

 tinued prosperity, it is essential that there be 

 harmony of purpose between these factors. It 

 is the business of the leaders of scientific work 

 and teachers of science to make such a discrimi- 

 nation between fact and theory that all must 

 respect their findings, and to use such care in 

 the presentation of subject matter that no one 



idea will be given the undue prominence that 

 is provocative of misunderstanding and dis- 

 trust. Why not make it quite clear that "Dar- 

 winism," whatever that may mean to the in- 

 dividual professor, is not all of evolution? 

 Wly not spend more time making clear to col- 

 lege students the facts of observation and ex- 

 periment upon which the "Origin of Species" 

 was founded? We are confident that more 

 teaching of fundamental facts will lead to a 

 better understanding between scientists and the 

 rest of the world, and to a more hearty sup- 

 port of scientific endeavor. 



F. L. Pickett 

 State College of Washington 



SCIENTIFIC EVENTS 

 VITAL STATISTICS OF GERMAN CITIESl 



AccoHDiNG to official publications, the popu- 

 lation of the 343 larger cities from which re- 

 ports are accessible had increased one million, 

 being 25,700,000 in 1921, as compared with 

 24,700,000 in 1920. It is evident, therefore, 

 that 41 per cent, of the total population of the 

 empire resides in these 343 cities. This re- 

 markaible growth of the cities is doubtless due, 

 to a considerable extent, to the influx from the 

 smaller towns and to the immigration from 

 foreign countries. The number of living 

 infants born in these cities was 560,000, or 21.8 

 per thousand of population, which denoted a 

 falling off when contrasted with the record for 

 the previous year, which was 23.8 per thou- 

 sand. Since it has been found that economic 

 factors exert a great influence on the birth 

 rate. Dr. Roesle, taking the value of the mark 

 in relation to the American dollar as a basis, 

 has been making a critical investigation of the 

 possible effect of economic conditions. In 

 order to discover the influence on the varying 

 birth rate throughout the twelve months of the 

 year, it is quite evidently necessary to date 

 back nine months the birth rate for each month, 

 since in this manner the month in which the 

 children were conceived is ascertained. In 

 1921, the birth rate of the urban population 

 continued to drop until August, or, teking the 



1 From the Journal of the American Medical 

 Association. 



