ID# 328:
Harry Laughlin response to Lucien Howe about immigration and blindness prevention
Date:
1924
Pages: 1 of 1
Source:
American Philosophical Society, ERO, MSC77,SerX,Box3: Harry H. Laughlin

328. June 7, 1924. Dr. Lucien Howe, 520 Delaware Avenue, Buffalo, N.Y. Dear Dr. Howe, It was very generous of you to send your congratulations by wire and also by letter over the immigration work. It is a matter of satisfaction to all eugenicists that the present policy of the United States in reference to immigration is now, and we trust henceforth will continue to be, based primarily on biology instead of economics. I approve heartily of the draft of the resolutions which you propose presenting to the Section on Ophthalmology of the American Medical Association. I am keeping the draft for my own files and shall be glad to have a copy of any resolution, following the sentiments of this outline, which may be adopted by the Section under your motion and leadership. The matter of prevention of hereditary blindness is one which is of vast importance, not only in itself but also in relation to the general task of preventing hereditary degeneracy so far as such prevention can be fostered by law. The ultimate development of an eugenical code ought to work out from the grouping together of specific eugenical processes, such as the prevention of blindness by the bonding system which you have outlined, certain requirements in the matter of general licensing for marriage, and other specific provisions, rather than by trying to write a whole code out of new and untried elements. We are greatly disappointed that you will not be able to attend the annual meeting on June 14th, but we appreciate the impossibility of a person being two places at once. Very sincerely, H.H. Laughlin. HHL/IB
Copyright 1999-2004: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory; American Philosophical Society; Truman State University; Rockefeller Archive Center/Rockefeller University; University of Albany, State University of New York; National Park Service, Statue of Liberty National Monument; University College, London; International Center of Photography; Archiv zur Geschichte der Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, Berlin-Dahlem; and Special Collections, University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
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