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6o The Century of the Child
there are diseases which can certainly be trans-
mitted, society must interfere to restrict mar-
riage. In Germany and America a good
proposal has been made, for the period of
transition in this direction. It is suggested
that the law shall require as an obligatory
condition for marriage, a certificate of a
medical witness with complete data as to the
health of both parties. Those who contract
marriage will continue to have* their free-
dom of choice but at least they would not
enter ignorantly upon marriage as they do
now, and expose themselves and their children
to disastrous consequences. It appears to me
to be at least as important for society to have
a medical certificate as to capacity for mar-
riage, as it is for military service. In the one
case, we deal with giving life, in the other
with taking it away. And although the latter
has certainly been, up till now, regarded as
a more serious occasion than the former,
still an awakening social conscience should
demand progress in this direction. It is con-
ceivable that from this beginning new cus-
toms will develop; further legislation may be
dispensed with; human beings will agree to
sacrifice the most dangerous of all liberties,
giving life to a defective offspring, while pro-
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