EUGENICS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LII, Issue 267, 11 October 1932, Page 2

EUGENICS

ADDRESS BY REV. D. J. DAVIES,

A most interesting address was delivered by Rev. D. J. Davies, vicar of St. Peter’s, Terrace End, at to-day s meeting ot the Luncheon Club, tne subject being “Eugenics.” Mr G. G. Priest was in the chair, ana visitors welcomed were Mr T. E. Stringer, of Auckalnd, Rev. A. JNScotter and Mr 0.. M. Cnristmnsen, ot Palmerston North, and Mr L. K. bO' ant, of Nelson, and formerly ot .Palmerston North. . , Tho subject of eugenics, said tne speaker, was not ail academic one, but one of practical importance. A tew years ago a Bill in connection witn eugenics was brought before the N* Zealand Parliament, but was rejected. Proceeding, MrJDavies stated that, while knowledge was power, the possession of power also carried with it responsibilities. We were guilty no only of the ills that we caused, but also of the ills tliat we failed to cure, or that might have been prevented. Too many people thought that science was a matter of purely personal interest, yet it was science that bad transformed the conditions of life to what they were to-day, and that would transform them still more in the years to come if men would only use their powers wisely. Religion and science should he fellow workers for the betterment of mankind. The task of religion was to set the ideals to be striven for, while the function of science was to provide the means and powers so that the religious ideals might be obtained. Eugenics aimed at providing better men and women and revealed the groat truth that the soul of all improvement was the improvement of tne soul; it set out to improve life itself. Man was the product of two factors —heredity and environment. They heard the question debated as to which was the more important, but the two were vitally important and they would neglect either at their peril. A child was sound and healthy because of receiving good food and air, but environment could do no more than bring out the latent possibilities —all that environment could accomplish was to draw out wlrat already was there. No system could make a talented man out of a congenital idiot. ADVANCE 'OF SCIENCE.

Long ago, continued the speaker, man stood in the presence of Nature helpless and cowed, but science had made great progress, and to-day the forces of Nature were being made obedient to the human will. Reference was made by the speaker, to the progress achieved in combating disease. They must realise, however, Mr Davies proceeded, that they were strictly limited in power, and the question they were asked was whether they could supply better human material on which those forces could work. Eugenics answered that question. Eugenics was based on certain principles. It insisted on the inequality of men ; they were different physically and mentally ; they were different in temperament. Eugenics assumed that these differences were vitally important, particularly from the social point of view. It also assumed that differences of character were inheritable ; that qualities ran in families. Inquiries that had been carried out into families showed that qualities ran- from father to soil, and statistics provided by one school of thought showed that a degree of physical and mental characteristics was passed on from one generation to another.

HEREDITY. It was right to emphasise that a great deal more knowledge had yet to be acquired, but they already had enough knowledge to apply it to the improvement of the human race. They knew that certain characteristics, were passed on from parents to children; they knew, also, that in certain nations there were certain bad stocks that were rather prolific. In previous ages these bad stocks were eliminated, or were prevented from supplying more than a certain proportion of the community. In those days the quantity of tile population wits sternly kept within limits, while the quality was also kept within limits by natural selection. To-day, people had become sensitive to the sufferings of the weak; thousands of lives were being saved and were brought to maturity and having full citizenship conferred upon them. Pity for the weak and sympathy for the unfortunate were among the supreme virtues to-day. For all that, there was another side. AVhile they should do all they could for the weak, was it morally right to let them hand on their misfortunes to children ? The upkeep of these people in institutes and asylums was throwing a burden on the more, healthy stocks. Observers warned them that there was a tendency towards decadence and unless that was stopped Western civilisation might go into oblivion as had those of Rome, Greece, and Egypt. RESPONSIBILITY OF PARENTHOOD.

Eugenics insisted that parenthood was not a right, but a responsibility. Mr Davies then referred to .the various means that had been'suggested for the prevention of the perpetuation of the unfit, and stated tnat there was another side of eugenics, which was concerned with worthy parenthood and the discouragement of unworthy parenthood. The task was to mould public opinion so that those of sound stock should be urged to multiply the fit, and thereby bring to civilisation strong and worthy citizens. The aim should not be to produce the superman, but to prevent the decay of civilisation and to raise the average of humanity in some small degree. By the use of science they could play a far better part in evolution than ever before. The best was yet to be and this was particularly true of the quantity and quality of the men and women of the future.

Mr J. A. Grant expressed the thanks of the dub to the speaker, stating that the subject had been presented in a mos't understandable way.