The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-12-03
RACE SUICIDE In
HE WOMEN CLUBS
Ohio Woman Declares the Clubs
Are the Cause of Lower
Birth Rate.
Special to The Journal.

opeclal 70 1ne .ssg5 =
Chicago, Dec. 2.-Olga Louise Cod.
*ijah has published in Columbus, Ohio,
pamphlet on race suicide. It is
called ''Turn on the Light and it
bIames members of womenAs clubs for
stunning maternity. .Gf
After the Ohioan asaturned her lu-
minary upon the club woman and her
club, she focuses it upon the society.
woman and modern society generally.
She pictures the ambitious mother
dragging. her youthful daughter into
the marriage mart of modern Babylon
and selling her to the highest bid
der. ~ She pictures the social leader
Longing near punch bowls and firt-
ing with the husbands of other women.
She = execrates the college sorority,
which she charges with setting up false
idols and bidding the unsophisticated
young girl to worship them.
She calls upon the clergy to rise up
to save America from the fate of
Rome, and bids them look to bigger
things than squabbling about the faint
Of money given in worthy cause
First, the Women's Club.
The author first turns her light on
>
"The increased membership Of WON
On IS clubs during the last years has had
the effect of decreasing the white birth
rate, especially in cities having pop
ulation exceeding 25,O0O This, / assert
boldly and without fear of successful
contradiction. o.. A woman actively
engaged in club work feels that she
cannot afford to become mother. Such
a condition would deprive her Of the
pleasures of women s clubs, and greatly
interfere with her interest in them dur
ing the first five years of the child s
life or until it was old enough to be
committed to the care of public school
teachers. 49,: +..
Quotes Statistics.
GAS one evidence of the fact that
race suicide is prevalent among the
members Of women s clubs a careful
study Of this membership develops the
following: - -
'tThe average number Of children to
married members OF the general Fe@i-
Grafton of Women s clubs is two. The
average number Of children that blessed
the mothers of these same women was
three and onelhalf. When that average
existed there were no such 'organiza-
Even among the members of the
Mothers congress there is scarcity
of mothers, and 2 per cent of it's mem
<bership have, no children at ALL.
E1:z+fitf The average age of athe member
ship Of the women 8 clubs in the coun-
try is 80; years. The average age of
the youngest children Of the married
members is II years. A careful inves-
tigation Of the membership women IS
clubs shows that only one married
woman in sixteen becomes q mother
after She has allied herself :. with
,Women's clubs; that only one in forty
three, during a period Of eight years,
has become the mother of two children
after her alliance with women IS
clubs. - II i = rs. e: &
~ Church and Race Suicide.
The author next presents the follow.
ing statistics to show the bearing of
the. subject of race suicide on the sub
ject of the modern church: ....-
=: With. 1915 Methodist mothers the
average number of children was 31A.
f..4 With 1924 Episcopal mothers the
average number of children was 2 3-l2
With 42,S24 Catholic. mothers the av
.eerage number of children was 8, 81.
With 27,163 Presbyterian mother!
the average number of children was
SIS. -. -. -.
4 With 29,247 Congregational mother
the average number of. children wal
2 OLA 49, =. = -~....:. -:
With 31,626 Baptist mothers the av
erage number Of children was 3 No.
~ go. =