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THE AMERIQAN JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGY
of delinquents being drawn from the mass of the population which practices tattooing, it is natural that many criminals are tattooed. But there can exist a relation between the quality of the tattooing and criminality. Tattooing itself is merely a manifestation of a coarse, primitive, but still normal make-up, while only certain forms of tattooing reveal in the person an abnormal make-up as well. — H. Leale, Archives d'anthropol. criminelle, April, 1909. F. F.
De la prophyliixie de l'insociabilit€ par la selection scolaire.— A psychologi- cal examination of the recruits of the African battalion shows that a large part of them are abnormals who could have been prevented from viciousness by an education adapted to their mentality. Therefore selection of abnormals in school is an imperative social measure — the vicious should be sent to a reformatory, the distinctly backward to a hospital ; but the best treatment for the moderately backward is placing out in a family by a physician. This social measure has been tried by the £cole des Hautes fitudes Sociales. — Dr. Granjux, Archives d'anthropol. criminelle^ April, 1909, F. F.
La loi SOCiale. — In our modern social organization, there are two classes — those who have, and those who have not. It is the duty of society to correct its manifold inequalities, to put an end to the profound injustice of its present organization, and to ameliorate the situation of its poor and humble. In organ- ized societies, social reform must come by means of the law. The purpose of "la loi sociale" should be the promotion of the general welfare of all, and the achievement of the highest possible moral status for the whole population. But in our present society the law is made to favor a particular privileged class — this necessarily at the cost of the well-being of the whole people. Legislators have no comprehension of their vital function, and promise little in the way of effective social reform. — Rene Raulin, Jour, des econ., September 15, 1909.
E. F. C.
Anti-Cleiicalism in Europe. — As respects European Catholics, religious liberty is today little more than a fine sounding theory. In Germany they vainly claim the equality with the Protestants, which is assured them by the constitution. In Ireland they suffer from Protestant domination. Austria discriminates them, and her universities are in the hands of Jews and free-thinkers. Real liberty of religious opinion is more nearly approached in Belgium than elsewhere in Europe. The inferiority of Catholics in the public life of Italy is incontestable, while in France the triumph of anti-clericalism is complete. This general tri- umph of anti-clericalism in Europe seems to be the achievement of an aggressive minority of determined leaders who are opposed to Catholicism "per se" as to "le clericalisme" so called. The masses, while still true to their religious tra- ditions and numerically superior, are purely passive, without any influence on public opinion, leaving to professional politicians the control of public affairs. Democracy cannot come into its own while the great mass of the population are suffered to remain ignorant and inert. — A Parissiel, Rev. de faction pop., September, 1909. E. F. C.
L'6volution des rapports sexuels. — There is a constant evolution in the cus- toms pertaining to the relations of the sexes. Inheritance, education, religion — all contribute to the moral ideas of an age, and frequently all are equally false in their standard of judgment. Marriage is essentially an economic association; romantic love has comparatively little influence therein. By reason of the in- creased responsibilities, economic and social, of our modern age, marriage is occurring later in life than formerly. It has become largely a haphazard affair; the mutual fitness of the parties to the union is usually a minor consideration. Elducation is sadly negligent in dealing with questions of sex. The marriage ceremony has lost much of its former respect and sacredness. The ultimate survival of the institution seems imperiled. Divorce is so easy that the "I'union libre" is even now almost legalized. Will not the future see marriage replaced by a more rational sex relation? — J. Rousset, La rev. socialiste, September, 1909.
E. F. C.
