Transcriber Note Italic text is denoted by _underscores_. "Make no more giants, God But elevate the race." Browning. RACE IMPROVEMENT OR EUGENICS _A Little Book on a Great Subject_ BY La Reine Helen Baker [Illustration] NEW YORK DODD, MEAD AND COMPANY 1912 Copyright, 1912 By DODD, MEAD AND COMPANY _Published, September, 1912_ CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I Introductory 1 II Heredity, Environment 13 III The Child, Its Heritage 28 IV Marriage 40 V Possibilities of Race Improvement 55 VI Education, Eugenics 69 VII Eugenics, The Modern Feminist Movement 86 VIII Positive, Negative Eugenics 101 Appendices A. State Endowment of Motherhood 120 B. Sterilisation in U. S. A. 128 CHAPTER I INTRODUCTORY The aim of this little volume is to interest the American public in an important and neglected subject. The writer has her own views on art, politics, religion and other topics which divide mankind, she does not intrude those opinions here, although conscious that "to see life steadily and see it whole" much more is wanted than a single branch of study, however vital. It is not possible, however, to remain silent and, at least passively, acquiescent when the interests of the race are in danger of neglect. Need for apology is not considered when great and influential journals, magazines and volumes dissipate their powers on all the feeble foolings of the hour. There are many honourable exceptions. There are organs of opinion in nearly all directions of intellectual speculation, education and philosophy and there are of course necessary volumes of information on cooking, travel, dress and amusement. Every material interest except the basic material interest of our human existence is represented in our periodical press. An expedition to the pole, a prodigious attempt to attract the attention of Martian observers whose very existence is denied by more than half our scientists, or a commission to inquire into the relative merits of various manurial nitrates, for these time and money, private enterprise and state aid are readily forthcoming. Professorial chairs are easily financed for lectures on every necessary and unnecessary subject other than that of direct race improvement. Churches, universities and other institutions have been endowed for the sake of schisms which have no