Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1907-06-08
What of the Children?

4 committee appointed by representa-
tive clergymen Of the Episcopal church
to consider public morals recently eom-
mitted the unwisdom 'rgng early
marriages depioring the a.t that owing
to the ambitious standards of local life
and the increased cost OF living, tile
average age Of first marriages of men
in the last century has changed from
twenty-five to twenty-seven years, and
going on TO say that public sentiment
should honor young people who are will
nag to endure comparative poverty ana
priyation in order to establish II home.
Such pernicious teaching woul be Calam-
'tous enough if il affected only the two
ImpfOyident young creatures who fol
lowed it, but is of much gravcr import
when what the founding of home real
ly means ultimately is taken into con-
sideration. As a matter of fact, the
theory advanced is as old as humanity
itself, and in almost any community
the large majority act upon it without
the least urging. Certainly any city
tenement quarter will show the ideal Of
early marriage and privation endurance
in "A freely Powered state, and for au-
thentic information as to how it works
the reports OF phianthropic associations
will be found inyalu@eie. Take, for
example, the latest report of the As
ISOLATION for Improving the Condition of
the Poor. OF a family having its first
summer outing, bright girl of / is
described as thin, narrow chested and
very anemic; her mother as slender
woman with six other children, and npr
father as earning a weekly wage Of SO.
The mother, says the report, washes,
irons, cleans and sews all Gay ana many
an evening; makes over the clothes thar
are given her; bathes the children in
regular order every Friday aud buys
meat that is little old. What is there
to be said of morality that brings
seven innocent children into the condition
of one bath week, tainted meat and Il
first summeracharity outing at the cud
of years of successive sitting summers D.?
Nor is this all, for looking at it from $40
economic point of view should the bread
winner die, the public would. in all prob
ability, be taxed for their support Of
the clergy who urge early marriage on
the score of morality well may a lover
Of his kind, and especially of children.
ask, is it moral for a young man whose
earning capacity is only so a week to
doom a conscientious wife TO a life IF
unrcmitting toll, and helpless children
TO the privations and decentralization Of
life in poor tenement quarters:
Such teachings are particularly re-
grettable because, while the more IN
teLligent and humane classes il the CONF
munlty are more apt either 10 defer
matrlmony or renounce il altogether he
lower social orders, without cncOura 70
ment, can always be depended upon 10
marry early and 20 in for redundant
parentage. Indeed. il is the testimony
If physicians who are experienced in
tenement house practice that as soon as
the poor Of alien natinns-the greatest
sinners against hildboOd-became ~lf-
tclentiy Americanized to have devrlonpd
1rs them a sense Of responsibility
marriage and parental relations are
viewed from a more rational STANDPOINT.
Careful observers of social conditions
see no reason 10 regret that marriage is
deferred 10 an average age of twenty
seven years for the man, because q use
younger. save IN exceptional instances.
have had TOO little experience witt fife
and its requirements 10 qualify Il rm
either to select suitable mothers for tapir
prospective children or companion for
themselves. Considering that the in~ti-
tuition II marriage is a coupling for fe
ws-scH involves grave issues for the facp
il i simply shocking that cleregfieu
should urge early matrimpuy ae n means
If conserving mans morality. huu yer
untitled the mah may be by lack al TX
perieuce for the serious cuisines If
founding a home. HerOds pisr- rul
Strengthening Of infants was kind iu epn-
pariSgn n the crucifixlon If child cd
embodied in such unqualified urgiu- If
au early marriage state.-Nogue