asking for suggestions in the matter, so that a tabulated report of the answers might be put in the Chairman's hands.

The biologists too were called upon. This report is so closely bound up with a psychological study of the question, that it may be of help to look at it. It was submitted to the Committee on Immigration and Naturalization of the House of Representatives in the 67th Congress, by Dr. H. H. Laughlin,53 of the Eugenics Record Office of the Carnegie Institution of Washington. The report is from the point of view of genetics, and is based on figures obtained by sending blanks, as to inmates of alien stock, to all state and national "custodial" institutions. The study is one of "bad" elements therefore, to be followed, it is announced by a study of the "good."

Out of 677 institutions to which blanks were sent, 445 cooperated. The results are obtained from birth and parentage records. The classes which Dr. Laughlin uses are nine:

Insanity
Crime

Feeblemindedness

Dependent

Tuberculosis

Epilepsy

Deafness

Blindness

Deformity

These are not the listings of the immigration law, though all, of course, are included in its measures, the law, having somewhat more than 30 distinct classes.54

Dr. Laughlin after referring to the points of numbers, and nations, in immigration control, says that the third factor in such control, has to do with the "individual physical, mental and moral quality," and more particularly with "the potentiality of the immigrant as a parent of desirable Americans of the future." The analysis of this "third factor," is the subject of his investigation. Speaking more specifically, the study is "a measure of the relative soundness of recent and older immigrant stocks."

"Percentages" or "quotas" were determined for each specific

class of defect, for each nationality, on the assumption that the figures for each nation in regard to this defect should bear to the figures for the same defect throughout the entire population, the same relation that the general population figures of the given race, held to the figures of the total population of the United States. That is, if a nation "furnishes inmates of these institutions56 in the same proportion as it furnishes inhabitants to the United States" it fulfills its quota by 100 per cent. "These percentages of quota" fulfillment are the yard-sticks for comparing different groups." The first part of the study deals with immigrants themselves, the second part deals with descendents of immigrants, that is, with the second generation.

The study has seven most interesting charts; but the fact that actual numbers are not given, closely attached to the "per cents" in which these tables are expressed, may lead an observer to notions that are eminently wrong.

For instance Serbia's prominent place58 at the end of the chart for feeblemindedness, with its long black line reaching out to 220 per cent, does not at all correspond to what you find for Serbia when you turn to the tables for feeblemindedness further on. There you find, as to numbers, that the quota fulfillment allowed one individual. The number found was two. Certainly where the cases are so few, such tables show nothing, and really mislead, when taken apart from actual numbers.

Other information which seems necessary here, particularly when the cases are few, is as to family. It might be quite possible if 200 per cent represents two people, that we are dealing with one socially inadequate family, which could hardly come under a heading of nationality. After watching certain families passing through Ellis Island, one might think it possible to say a higher "per cent" still, and have this statement stay true.

In this whole question, it seems that "actual numbers" are so important, that to consider per cents without them is not in any way a safe procedure. Dr. Laughlin has the actual numbers, in great detail, in tables at the back of his pamphlet, covering the last sixty pages. The three sections which have particularly to do with mental defect-insanity, feeblemindedness and epilepsy are, of course, the ones which bear especially on this study.

With regard to insanity. All European groups go over their allotment in varying degrees, with the exception of three:

This leaves out of consideration certain countries which may have a high per cent, but where the cases are less than 100. For Northwestern Europe the per cent is given as 198.36. For Southeastern Europe the figures are 188.50 per cent.

For feeblemindedness, Northwestern Europe shows 18.98 per cent for its quota fulfillment, while the South East stands at 33.02. The small numbers involved here make you realize two things-one, that many feebleminded people are in all probability taken care of at home, and two, that detection at time of entry is easier here than is the case with the insane. Russia-Finland, leads with 161 cases or 50.53 per cent, quota fulfillment. Nowhere else do the actual cases run above 100.

In the tables for epilepsy Great Britain stands at 145.56 per cent quota fulfillment, with 131 cases; Russia-Finland shows 117.19 per cent, and 150 cases, while Ireland with 108 cases presents a per cent of 108. There are other high per cents, but based in each case on a very small number of examples. The per cent for the North and West is 80.36, for the South and East, 89.04.

For the second generation, which Dr. Laughlin suggests, might be considered as "representative" of our immigration between 1880 and 1890,"59 it is shown that, as to Insanity, Feebleminded

ness, and Epilepsy, the following per cents exist in regard to those descended from two native born white parents, those from two foreign born parents, and lastly those who have one parent native, the other foreign born.

One other set of facts from the same table, is also valuable for review.

These are most interesting figures, and Prof. H. S. Jennings,60 in his study of this report, brings up many challenging questions as to what meanings one may draw with fairness from them. In regard to a defect like insanity, which Prof. Jennings classes along with crime, pauperism and tuberculosis as a "mental, moral or physical breakdown," he asks if the foreign born who have come through the "soul searching" ordeal of immigration might not be expected to show a higher per cent, "even if the inheritance in the two cases be equal." He also mentions the fact that we do not have figures to show us in what proportions,61 the native and the foreign born defectives find their way into the state and federal custodial institutions. He suggests that possibly figures from private institutions of a like nature, would show a reversal of the proportions of native born and foreign born. It may also be suspected that the foreign born might lead in cases kept at home.

As to the "second generation," Jennings points out the decided

fall in the proportion of the insane, as compared with the proportions shown by the immigrants themselves, which is, as he says, "in harmony with the presumption that in them, it was due largely to the conditions involved in immigration."

On the other hand, in this second generation table, the figures for feeblemindedness and epilepsy rise to a higher level than that presented by the immigrants themselves, as well as to a higher level than that shown by the native born. These two defects therefore, which cannot be accounted for by difference in environment" yield, Jennings believes, "a positive indication of greater defectiveness in the immigrant stock." He gives some very interesting graphs showing certain of these facts in combination. His tables show the three highest groups in each defect, and finally the three nations that lead in all defects together. These run in this order:

Ireland

Russia-Finland
Balkans

Jennings believes that the "general upshot, is of a character to discourage attempts to regulate immigration on the basis of race and nationality so far as Europeans are concerned."

His final conclusions submitted both in person and in writing to the House Committee on Immigration and Naturalization, in January, 1924, state that the difference between the "Old" and the "New" immigration as set forth in the Laughlin study is not a sharply defined one; that the change from the 1910 basis to the 1890 one, would not reduce the numbers of European born defectives in governmental institutions; but would merely change the combinations, giving for instance, more insane, more epileptics, less feebleminded. Laughlin himself maintains that "the outstanding conclusion,"63 making all allowances, is "that the recent immigrants, as a whole, present a higher percentage of inborn socially inadequate qualities than do the older stocks." His suggestions for remedy follow these lines: "Aside from the standards of soundness for mind and body, at present required in the examination at Ellis Island, we must add a requirement for sound reputation, and also one for soundness of family stock." "A knowledge of family history is essential to keeping down the great percentage" of alien insane.