Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-09-05
ONLY BOY BABIES WANTED
Russian Women and Children Most
Degraded in Europe.
ONLY THE BOYS ARE DESIRABLE
Mrs. Loreine Helen Baker Tells OF
Females Cleaning the streets In
Germany, Receiving wages
of Men.

LONDON. Sept. l. Especial Cable
am)-"Russian women and children are
the most degraded in Europe. II not in
the world" said Mrs. Loreine Helen
Baker of Spokane, Wash, this morning.
Il say this after investigating condi-
lions in England Ireland, Scotland,
France, Germany, Belgium, Holland,
Italy, Austria, Hungary, Norway,
Sweden, Finland and Russia. Peas
ant girls in Russia are the prey OF the
Russian soldiers, and bear thousands of
children who become charges on the
government. The boy babies are put in
good hands They are educated: AMI
trained for the army. The girl babies
are so neglected that 40 per cent Of them
perish. ] saw more than 1900 babies
under three months old in the govern
ment founding asylum in Moscow.
Nearly all were suffering from some
disease, and many were physical and
mental cripples.
Poor Russian mothers sought, weep
ing, to touch the hem Of my dress. Why
do they weep 1 asked. They wish you
to intercede with God to bring them boy
babies. They say that their husbands
cease to love them unless they bear ba-
HES to go to war
Il passed a week with Count Tolstoi
and his family, where l found the great
reformer full of pity and horror over the
misfortunes of his countrywomen. The
soldiers are privileged ruffians, who
move their camps from place to place,
robbing the peasants of their pigeons
and everything else they chance to covet
They make no return whatever. leaving
the toilers destitute.
Finland, otherwise a happy nation, is
bowed down under the oppression of car
dom. Strong Finnish men. viewing the
certain prospects of spolation, cannot re-
strain their tears when discussing the sub
ject. Only the interference of the civilized
world can save Finland. II Finland goes,
ultimately the whole Scandinavian PENN
sula will go, too. Nothing can stop the
westward march of the Russians except
the Intervention of the great powers.
Women of Germany.
The position of German women is i'm
proving, because the German men are be-
coming more enlightened. German women
toll long hours at street cleaning and
hod carrying, but get as good wages as
men similarly employed.
Austrian women labor at the same tasks
as their German sisters, but get far lower
wages. I talked with woman stone mason
day for 30 cents American money, while
men, their fellow workers, get three times
as much.
The Scandinavian countries have the
/ finest school system of any country Wis
| tied. Mothers and fathers there sit side by
side in parliament and make laws to
govern themselves. l took China dolls
and rubber balls to the Lapp children at
North Cape and you should have seen the
| joy Of these strange little beings. My
language was Greek to them, but they
seemed to understand me. The Laps are
gentle, contented and filthy lot with
| comparatively few children and few re-
quirements. Dogs and babies share the
same cots.
Despite the terrible plight of many
women and children, especially girls, the
world seems to me to be growing better.
The nightmare of ignorance and brutality
is going slowly, but it is going. One day
man will learn that he sins against himself
in SHINING against women. Then we shall
have real progress toward a perfect race. 4"