EVOLUTION ROOT OF ALL EVIL--STRATON

"Some of my ancestors have hung by their necks, but none have hung by their tails," said Dr. John Roach Straton last night at the Phillips Brooks House, speaking on "Evolution versus God, Monkey Men, and Monkey Morals."

"Evolution is false morally because it makes for selfishness and for the glorification of brute force. This problem of evolution is at the basis of the struggle between Modernists and Fundamentalists. Ever since the dark shadow of Darwinism came over the world, public morality has been progressing downward. The world must have a moral foundation and that foundation can only be found in religion. Take away religion and the whole moral structure falls. Today we have lost vital religion and therefore we have lost morality. Evolutionary philosophy is godless.

"America is rapidly becoming the worst crime center of the world. It has already the greatest number of divorce cases. The only difference between a Turk and an American is that the former has his wives as a team and the latter has his as a tandem. $3,000,000,000 is annually stolen in the United States, and 15,000 deaths occur every year through murders and homicides. One of the most discouraging facts is that the great majority of the most desperate criminals are under 22 years old. This is all a result of animal philosophy.

Moral Breakdown Evident

"But the moral breakdown has taken place over the whole social body. Moral and religious education has been practically banished from America. Although knowledge of mythological gods is required by many universities for graduation, no knowledge of the Christian God is demanded. Animal philosophy has even spread to the modern dance. It has become nothing but a hugging match. The old dancing of fifty years ago compares to modern dancing as milk does to hypochloric acid.

"Animal philosophy has even degraded the noble art of dramatics to such stuff as 'Up in Mabel's Room' or 'Getting Gertie's Garter'. And along with this has followed the degradation of maidenly modesty. Evolution is a philosophy of the flesh. The modern drama is an exaltation of the flesh and the glorification of the brute. Magazines today are simply dripping with sensualism. The best seller of today compares most unfavorably with the best seller of 50 years ago."