“Compulsory limitation of population?” I repeated, wondering if I had heard him correctly. “Most certainly. You’ve heard, perhaps, that our population is limited by law to five hundred thousand.” “But that’s impossible!” I cried, incredulously. “Experience has proved quite the contrary,” he dissented. * * * * * For a moment I did not reply. I merely sat staring at my companion, trying to fathom the secret hidden in those inscrutable grave eyes of his. And though he gave no sign of not being utterly truthful, I ended by giving expression to my scepticism. “What do you do with your extra inhabitants? Do they emigrate to the center of the earth? Or do you prefer to shoot them or drown them, or perhaps to asphyxiate them humanely?” “There are no extra inhabitants,” was the surprising reply. “Do you know nothing of the Milares Compulsory Population Law?” I was forced to confess my ignorance. “Then let me enlighten you,” volunteered Xanocles, with a tolerant smile. “First let me take you back a few thousand years, to the days just after the Submergence. At that time the population of Atlantis was several millions, and the swarms of our people were so dense that long hours of labor were necessary, living quarters were crowded and unsanitary, and there was little time for the creation or appreciation of beauty. This state of affairs endured for over a century, when, after much discussion, the Milares Compulsory Population Law was passed, and the citizenry was gradually reduced to its present satisfactory numbers.” “And what was the Milares Population Law?” I asked. “It is the law that is still the backbone of our life. According to Milares, a great social philosopher of the second century A. S., the most important of public questions is that of parentage. He maintained that the parents of each generation might either poison or uplift the next; and all of his numerous pamphlets and books bore the warning that persons congenitally deficient in mind or physique should not be permitted to breed, while those of the higher physical and intellectual qualities should be encouraged. “In pursuance of these views, Milares proposed a basic innovation in social customs; he recommended that the institution of marriage be dissevered from that of parenthood. In other words, while marriage--and likewise divorce--should be permitted to all that desired it, parenthood should become a subject of drastic state regulation: any young couple wishing, children must have their fitness examined by a carefully selected State board. Since effective methods of birth control were known, this system was wholly practicable, and, in fact, has proved--” “But what if the orders of the Board were disobeyed?” I interrupted. “Certainly, the unlawful newcomer couldn’t be punished.” “Certainly not. But a stigma would attach to the parents--the stain of illegitimacy.” “You mean that the parents would be considered illegitimate?”