410 HEREDITY AND ENVIRONMENT 



broadcast distribution of good and wholesome 

 qualities in the race that in spite of such 

 serious violations of the principles of good 

 breeding mankind remains as good as we find 

 it to-day? 



III. Eugenics 



If a superior power should deal with man as 

 man deals with domestic animals no doubt 

 great improvement could be effected in the 

 human breed. Society is in some respects 

 such a power and can do what the individual, 

 because of self-interest, short life or lack of 

 ability, cannot accomplish. In matters of pub- 

 lic health, comfort and security of life and 

 property society is superior in power to the 

 individual; in matters of the perpetuation of 

 the race the individual is still supreme. In 

 animal societies the race, the breed, is to the 

 swift and strong and fit, and the same was 

 probably true of primitive men. But it is im- 

 possible to return to the conditions of primi- 

 tive society in this respect, and the social body 

 itself must in some way control the breeding 

 of men. 



