1 1 8 Heredity and Environment 



" She who rocks the cradle rules the world," proves 

 this. Of its truth and universal application there can- 

 not be the slightest doubt ; and the mothers know their 

 power and exercise it, according to their lights, for what 

 they believe to be the greatest advantage of their sons 

 and daughters. It can be said, without fear of con- 

 tradiction, that it is they who have preserved the 

 ideals of Christian ethics in our Western civilisation, 

 and in this way more than any other they can be said 

 to rule the world, because it is the pervading altruism 

 of Christianity in the minds of men which is regenerat- 

 ing society, and is the motive force of that social 

 legislation which has as its aim the gradual ameliora- 

 tion and elevation of the poorer classes of the people. 

 In this connection we may refer to the modern 

 movement of the emancipation of women. There 

 seems little doubt that the mothers of the nation have 

 little desire to depart from their own sphere and inter- 

 fere with the duties of man, who has hitherto in the 

 world's history always regulated, controlled, policed, 

 and defended the nation by land and sea. Woman 

 physically and intellectually is unfitted for such work, 

 and by interfering in legislation — for which she has 

 no faculty — will only damage the State which she has 

 done so much to build and elevate by means of her 

 maternity and influence upon the child. The scientific 

 position has been clearly and emphatically stated by 

 Sir Almroth Wright. There can be no doubt the 

 women who are forcing this movement and smashing 

 the windows of harmless tradespeople who have 

 shown no hostility to their cause, and who assault 

 Ministers of the Crown who are giving the best of their 

 lives in the service of the people, cannot be considered 

 responsible for their actions. If they claim that they 

 are responsible, then clearly they belong to the criminal 

 classes and must be treated as such without fear or 



