(Image 537 is companion to image 536)
traits incompatible with the best social adjustment, this classification is the one that fits best into the social scheme and is the basis upon which society, with the aid of several social and biological sciences, must proceed to the investigation of the possible measures of eliminating its defectives.
Several means have been suggested as the proper agents for effecting this scheme of race betterment. Among these are (1) sterilization, (2) unsexing, (3) like segregation, or segregation during the reproductive period, (4) restrictive marriage laws and customs, (5) systems of mating purporting to remove the defective traits, (6) general environmental amelioration, and (7) eugenic education of the public and of prospective marriage mates, (8) laissez-faire. Which of these remedies shall be applied? Shall one, two, several, or all be made to operate? What are the limitations and possibilities of each remedy? Shall one class of the socially unfit be treated with one remedy and another with a different one? Shall the specifically selected remedy be applied to the class or to the individual? What are the principles and limits of compromise between conservation and elimination in cases of individuals bearing a germ-plasm with a mixture of the determiners for both defective and sterling traits? What are the criteria for the identification of individuals bearing defective germ-plasm? What can be hoped from the application of some definite elimination program? What practical difficulties stand in the way? How can they be overcome? These and other questions arise, hence this investigation.