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THE biblical injunction against calling thy brother a fool is falling into ill repute these days. It is as praiseworthy now to call him a fool before the whole world, if that is what he is, as to have him arrested for law-breaking. At least eight states have conducted surveys within the past two years and eight months to count the number of fools in their population, and seven have appointed official commissions to study the whole question of foolishness.

In all of this, the endeavor is to shut up fools -- not in the sense of giving the wise men a rest by inflicting silence, but in the sense of permanently incarcerating those who otherwise might beget foolishness. Thus, legislatures have appropriated nearly half a million dollars to take care of fools, and another half-million is pending. Private philanthropy has donated $121,000 for the purpose. Nearly every state in the union has at least begun to think about its fools, and at least twenty have, within the period of time mentioned, taken active steps to serve both the wise and foolish by keeping them permanently apart.

All this has happened during the brief lifetime of, and largely because of agitation by, the Committee on Provision for the Feebleminded. Much else has been done without its help. The committee was organized in June, 1915, and has sent lecturers and field workers from its headquarters in Philadelphia throughout the country to arouse interest in the feebleminded. Its success is already written on the statute books of many states and in the improved care given to this class of the population. Although its expenditures have averaged only $18,000 a year, the war has seriously cut down its income, and there is danger that it may have to close its doors.

Yet it was this committee that promoted and financed the work of the initial committee of psychologists that made possible the application of psychological tests to the men of the United States draft army. Major Robert M. Yerkes, director of the psychological division of the army, wrote to it: "We feel that we owe to you the initiation of our work."

In following up this work, the committee feels that there is a great field ahead. Approximately 2 per cent of the drafted men have been found to be mentally inferior. Their services can be used in camp life -- in laundry, carting, care of horses, road repair, and even in food production. Plans for their use within the army are being prepared by the committee for presentation to the War Department.

The committee believes, also, that the records from the examination of the million or more men in the army can be made of great value for effective propaganda in regard to conservation of health, and points out that the United States Public Health Service and the state boards of health are suitable agencies for this service.

It believes, further, that capable field workers are needed for mental examination of women and girls frequenting the vicinity of camps for immoral purposes. There are no present means, it says, for identifying the mentally defective prostitutes, yet indications are that "half of these women belong in that class." In some states where camps are located there is absolutely no provision for the feebleminded. The discovery and segregation of the feebleminded prostitute could thus be made an excellent beginning of care for the whole class of feebleminded.