THE MENTALLY DEFICIENT.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1286, 15 November 1911, Page 9

THE MENTALLY DEFICIENT.

DEAN OF ST. PAUL'S ADVOCATES SEGREGATION. In a paper read at the recent Anglican Church Congress at Stoke (England) the Dean of St. Paul's (Dr. W. R. Inge) said it had not been common, lie was afraid, for the Church to show much zeal about, the prevention of social evils; they had generally tried only to cure them. _ He knew that those who had taken up'this subject from the point of view of racccultuvo and race-hygiene were delighted and encouraged by the recognition given to their cause by tho Church Congress— they felt that here was a beginning which was full of promise—and he thought he should spend the minutes at his disposal best if he gave his reasons why, in his opinion, the Church ought to support wellconsidered measures to check the degeneration of the race, and to help its, improvement. There was an undeniable prejudice to bo surmounted. Tho resort to scientific methods of eliminating physical and moral defects seemed to many almost impious, implying a determinist or naturalistic view of human character, and a distrust in the power of Dirino grace. Nevertheless, he was quite sure that they ought to.avail themselves of tho new light which science was throwing on the (lark places of human heredity. A vast change, if he was not mistaken, was coming over oiir philanthropic schemes. Conscience and purposive self-improvement had. become, or was becoming, the niolivo force in civilisation. Such a method, of self-di-rection was now for--the-'-first -iime- seen; to- be possible. It'was" the-criteriSn l'bywhich more and more every movement came to be tested. They desired to see tho free development of individuals, to the-utmost of their scope; No lives'were to'-be uselessly sacrificed or stunted, but their scope was to bo social life,, citizen life. The time would come when both the numbers and the quality of new citizens must be recognised as a public concern. The State of the future would refuse to support masses of degenerato wastrels, who multiplied recklessly. In this agitation for tho segregation of the mentally deficient—a measure which had been strongly recommended by a Royal Commission—they were trying to make a beginning. It Parliament • would embody this proposal in legislation, the principle would have been admitted that it was the business of the State to see to the wellbeing of the next generation, and that that "well-being" depended far more on intrinsic qualities—soundness of body, mind, and character—than on the manner in which wealth was- distributed. It would be the first step, and a most salutary step too. What, then, were they to do? Two foolish answers might be dismissed at once—viz., "Train the feebleminded till they recover," and "Put themall in a lethal chamber." They could not bo cured—in a large majority of cases the affliction was associated with malformation of the brain; and no Christian or civilised country would permit them to be destroyed. Industrial colonies were tho best places for them. About two thousand in each colony made a workable community, and the cost was minimised if this number, or something like it, was taken as the standard. Tho inmates were given such work as they could do—in many cases they could nearly support themselves—and their lives were made bright and innocent. When tho nge of procreation was passed, more liberty might often be allowed.

In conclusion Dr. Inge said: "I hope you will do all you can to influence public opinion in the right direction in this matter. It is nu uphill tight, because this is not a vote-catching measure. It appeals to nobody's cupidity or envy or selfishness. It simply affects the welfare of the next generation,-who are not hero to plead for themselves, and have no votes. It is most difficult to get politicians to touch a measure of this kind with a little finger. A large number of religious persons dislike it. The majority of Socialists dislike it, because it seems to suggest that the pig makes the stye, instead of the stye the pig. Some of them want us to believe that if you vrcro to keen a sow in your drawing-room she would behave like n perfect lady. Everything is against us except the truth of Nature. And Nature is quite indifferent whether we obey her or disobey. If wo do the first, she wi'll make us; if the second, sho will break us; but it is oil the same to her. For us, however, it is not all tho same; and I am not afraid to say that wo are responsible before the Judgment-seat of Christ for the ruinphysical, mental, and moral—which our prejudice, ignorance, and shortsighted selfishness may bring, and f oo often are bringing, upon tho children that are yet unborn."