NOTES AND ABSTRACTS.
Capacity and Calling. — It is important for sociology to investigate how far capacity conditions calling. Socialists claim that in the lower occupations are many men of great but unutilized capacity. "The stupid rich" keep down "the intelligent poor " in order to prey upon them. All socialistic teaching is based upon the assertion that private ownership is a holding, through accident or robbery, of the common prop- erty, and is not a consequence of greater intellectual and moral efforts. Professor Herkner writes: " Hardly a fifth of the common people can enter a learned profession. Many, called by nature to intellectual pursuits, remain far from higher education, while many without such calling, but favored by society, take academic courses." "Only a fifth" is debatable. At any rate it is well known that the learned professions are overcrowded, and that there is therefore an educated proletariat which causes serious difficulties. Statistics for 1882-96 from two common schools of a south German city lead to a less optimistic conclusion about this intelligence "lying fallow." The first school was attended by the children of workmen, day laborers, and petty tradesmen. The school had seven divisions, covering the age from seven to fourteen. Work was marked as "very good," "good," "fair," "sufficient," "unsatisfactory." Not one pupil received the mark "very good." The group "fair" was largest. " Fair" and "sufficient " included the great mass. In the other school, attended by children of better-paid workmen, low officials, and petty tradesmen, the results are about the same, except that in the sixth division two pupils were marked "very good." In the next division under the same teacher they received only "good." The marks for diligence were higher than those for mental gifts. With higher work the propor- tion of "good" and "fair" would doubtless lessen, as statistics of the gymnasium show that when a kind of work comes that requires less memory and more independent intelligence the well-marked groups shrink rapidly. Of course, if their parents had money and time enough, some of these moderately gifted pupils might rise into the higher professions. But what would be gained ? A greater overcrowding. It is far better that those marked "fair" to "good," which, considering the elementary nature of the work, means only relatively good, should remain in their own circles to give them intellectual guidance, development, and union with other circles. Genius and really great endowments are not suppressed by social conditions. Society in its own interest is bound to summon undoubted talent, but not moderate ability, to the higher professions. — Adam Roder, " Capacitat und Beruf," Zeitschrift fiir Socialwisienschajt, April, 1898.
Improved Tenement Homes for American Cities. — "There is no agency in the world that has a greater influence upon the welfare of the people than one which directly affects their health and social environment." Experience shows that improve- ments in the dwellings of the poor have had a decided influence upon the character of the inmates. Under existing conditions providing better habitations for the poorer working classes seems to be a proper subject for the consideration of state and municipal governments. "The first and most important step is the enactment of proper sanitary and building laws and the inauguration of a thorough system of tene- ment-house inspection. Second in importance is the expropriation of property in the crowded districts. Another step, which is common in European countries, is the encouragement of model tenement enterprises by granting them special favors, such as reducing the tax rates, ceding land, granting subsidies, making loans at a low rate of interest, etc. Lastly, when private and philanthropic enterprises refuse to provide proper housing facilities, it becomes the duty of the local authorities to do so." New York has the best sanitary code and the best organized corps of sanitary inspectors of any American or European city. Philadelphia and Chicago have in recent years made improvements in their sanitary laws and ordinances relating to tenement houses. Existing regulations in Boston and Brooklyn are fairly comprehensive, and their health
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