June, '23 
mccubbin: domestic quarantines 
253 
BIOLOGICAL BASIS OF FOREIGN PLANT QUARANTINES 
By W. A. Orton, Washington , D. C. 
(Withdrawn for publication in Phytopathology) 
President E. C. Stackman: We will now listen to a paper by Mr. 
W. A. McCubbin. 
X 
FACTORS IN THE SUCCESS OF DOMESTIC QUARANTINES 
By W. A. McCubbin, Bureau Plant Industry , Harrisburg, Pa. 
Abstract 
Four features of domestic quarantines are discussed—(1) The legal aspect in¬ 
volves consideration of an adequate basic law, a well organized and capable staff, 
and an emergency fund to meet sudden cases. (2) The quarantine should be given 
close attention by the scientist from the viewpoint of the administration. (3) In 
quarantine methods emphasis is placed on the need for extensive and intensive surveys 
at the outset, and for emergency research to provide a basis for a permanent policy. 
Stress is also laid on the need of well planned methods and adequate machinery and 
the importance of fairness and strictness in enforcement. The official in charge of 
enforcement should be a man of high ability. (4) The public judges quarantines on 
the fairness and reasonableness of the enforcement rather than on the severity of 
the restrictions. Quarantine measures are more easily enforced in populations 
with a high average intelligence and a well developed sense of public duty. After 
one successful quarantine experience in a district a second is accepted with less re¬ 
luctance. 
The time has probably arrived when it will pay us to take stock of the 
whole domestic quarantine situation, and from past successes and 
failures derive those lessons which will enable us to meet future problems 
with greater confidence. St. Augustine states that, “Out of our errors 
we make unto ourselves a ladder by which we climb.” That there have 
been errors in the past we admit, but to keep a just perspective of the 
situation, the past successes must also be considered. And when the 
curtain is lifted and we see past accomplishment as a pitiful effort and 
past failures that appear inexcusable, let us not forget that what we see 
clearly in the glaring light of present day knowledge was carried out in 
the days of feeble candle power. Without underestimating the 
success or overestimating the failure let us rather proceed with j udicial 
mind to examine them both for such help as they can give us for further 
effort. 
It would make an attractive study to arrange all our internal quaran¬ 
tines in a proper classification and subject them to careful analysis, so 
