The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1893-09-07
UNFAIR TO The GIRL s,
European Wars Compel Sixteen Million
Women to Live and Die Unmarried,

The vital statistics of France for
last year show that the number OF
deaths IN that year exceeded the num-
Der Of births. That is very unusual
exhibition for a civilized nation to
make. Natural increase is the leading
factor which is considered in comput-
ing population. Here there is no
| natural increase, but on the contrary
natural decrease. Nations have
| often diminished in mum Der, but the
| phenomenon has been due to emigra-
! ton. This, says the San Francisco
CAL, is believed to be the first instance
on record where a civilized people has
| gradually decreased like some of our
! Indian tribes or kanakas of Hawaii
One leading cause of the phenomenon
Is the enormous consumption of Young
men in the army and navy 4 French
soldier Is practically celibate II ne
is an officer he can not marry without
| proving to his General that his wife
has dowry which renders her indie
pendent of him; if he is private or
non-cOmmissioned officer he must OBJ
tam the consent of his Colonel. The
Colonel allows a given proportion of
his men to marry, with the under
standing that their wives shall do
laundry work for the regiment; that
mum Der reached the other men must
remain single. The war strength of
the French army is now 8, 240, 900 men;
thus, practically, nearly three millions
OF young women can not i&,cOme wives
and mothers. A similar condition
prevails III Germany. The war
strength OF that power is 1900, 900
men; this probably forbids two and a
half millions of girls from marrying.
We may 60 further The war strength
OF Russia IS computed al 1000, 900, aud
that of Italy at $500, 600. Adding the
four nations together, we find that
nearly sixteen millions of men are con-
demned by law to pursue career
which forbids marriage except to
small percentage of the whole. 1t is
no wonder that according to the vital
statistics deaths are outnumbering
births.
In all countries the sexes are nearly
equal in numbers. In most there is a |
slight prepOnderance of females, ap-
parently to Offset the probably greater
mortality OF women in married life. |
But the numbers are so nearly equal |
that where any considerable number |
OF men are Withdrawn corresponding
number OF Wsncu are debarred from |
life OF usefulness as mothers. This
Is an unwholesome condition for ma
ton. 1t gave rise, in ancient time, to
the practice OF polygamy. Prodigious
numbers of men being killed in wars,
the girls who under ordinary circum-
stances would have become their wives
were pitchforked into the harems of
the rich or the powerful. 1t is shock
ing to contemplate the possibility of a
restoration of polygamy in Europe;
and yet if 10 per cent, of the men are
taken out Of tho market hv tho MO
nacltY OF nations, desperate remedies
are sure to be suggested. At the close
of the thirty years war in Germany
the law against polygamy became
dead letter in Silesia. AT the close of
the Napoleonic wars in France the
9rayest disorders arose from the alb
solute impossiblity of finding hus-
bands for grown-up girls.
1t is curious that no one has drawn
attention TO the injustice which the
belligerent propensities of Europeans
do TO the women. Men have no right
to doom 10 per cent, of their women to
life of celibacy, merely to exhibit
military prOwess. 1t is Il shameful
wrong. 1t is crime. Such men az
the present Emperor of Germany will
some day be claSsed by the historian
with Alaric the Goth and him who was
known rs the Scourgc of God. 1t mas
been well said of his hereditary
dominion of Prussia that it is not.
country with an army, but an army
with a country; and under'the tutelage
OF his grandfather he has grown up to
consider war as the proper business of
u sovei@n. He is ready to trample the
institutions of his country in his mad
desire to increase his army. Happily
Tor the world, the solid common sense
of the German people will bring the
young scatterbrain TO his bearings. If
any incentive were wanting to hold
them to their course it would be sup
piled by the thought that the wars of
the present day can not be conducted
without intiicting an injury on women
for which their authors should never
be forgiven.