The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-27
STARTLING CENSUS REPORT IN FRANCE Indicate Deaths Greatly
 Exceed Births OSLER. THEORY TRIED Famous Socialist and Wife Commit Suicide-Another Mozart Dis covered-Policema Suspects
 the Presiding Magistrate
OSLER. THEORY TRIED
nrPAIL NulI.IERs s

Ky PAUL VILLIERs
 Paris, December 26.-tspeciaL)- Census returns which, are now being published contain much food for very serious thought if not indeed for actual alarm on the part of those interested in the well fare of the state.
 The returns for the first half of 1911 show that the deaths in .Jrance during that period exceeded -tlte number of births by IS, ,279. These figures are remarkable when compared with the returns for the corresponding period of last wear, when the births exceeded the deaths by 2l, lSs.
 The figures for the census taken. in March last show that the great cities are practically standing still in the matter of population, a condition shown in no other country. The total increase in Paris since 1906. for instance, has been only ss,5ss, the percentage of increase for the five year period being less than per cent Marseies has added only S4- 6s4 to her population or under per cent for the five years.
 The problem of how best to increase the growth of the nation is very serious one.
 
 The famous socialist, Paul Lafargue, who at one time was a deputy in the French chamber, and his wife, daughter of Carl Marx one of the founders of modern socialism, have given intensely realistic proof of their belief in Osler's theory that a mans life after 40 years of age is no use to himself or anybody else. Thy have committed suicide together at their house at DUaveil, near Paris.
 In a letter which he Jeff behind. M. La fargue who was 69 years of age, ex- plains his action:
 Sound in body and mind, I am killing myself before ruthless old age, which has taken from me one by one the pleasures and joys of existence, and has deprived me of my physical and intellectual pow CTS, paralyses my enegry and breaks my will, and makes me burden to myself and others.
 For many years I have pledged myself not to pass the three score years and ten; I have fixed the time for my depart ure from life, and l have prepared the method of carrying out my resolution a hypodermic injection of prussic acid. T die with the supreme joy of being ab- solutely certain that. in the near future, the cause to which I have devoted my self for 45 years will triumph. ''Vive le communlsme! Vive le social isme internationall
 PAUL LEFARGUE.' His wife, Mime. Laura Lafargue, did not wish to survive her husband and took poison with him.
 It is a tragic coincidence that Mime. Le- fargues sister Eleanor, committed sui eide in March, 1898. in London. Eleanor was considered to be one of the most brilliant intellects among European so- cialists, but while her sister died so not to survive the man she loved, she
 aaa- treatment of her husband, Dr. Edward Avelng, who deserted her after she had practically saved his life. Dr. Avelng died a few months after his wife.
 M. Lafargue came from one of the oldest French families4 As a student he began to interest himself in the teachings of Karl Marx. He took a leading part in the commune and was on several occasions arrested. While an exile in London in 1871 he married the daughter of Karl Marx, to whom he introduced M. Guesde M Lafargue, like most of the relatives of Karl Marx, was a rigid doctrinaire, and he was familiar figure among socialists in England, Holland. Spain and Portugal He was possessed of a moderate fortune, but his life was made unhappy by the fear of mental paralysis.
 Rene Guillon, the 7-year-old son of . postal official is being acclaimed at Rennes, as another Mozart. The boy com poses for pianaforte and violin, and has already completed a symphony and son., ata
 It is stated that although he never re- ce we'd any lessons, as soon as he heard Ckopn's Funeral March" played by band, he repeated it correctly on the piano.
 policeman's zeal has gone beyond all bounds. It led him to the conclusion that an examining magistrate had himself committed the murder which he was in- vestigating. The incident is connected with the famous crime of Igorney, in which the parish priest is accused of hay ing murdered his sacristan. On the even- ing of the discovery of the crime, when police and magistrates were at the church. policeman noticed the footprints of q dog around the church and in the blood stains. 1t was assumed that the owner of the dog probably was the murderer
 The policeman set resolutely to work and caught all the dogs in the neighbor- hood to measure their paws. After three weeks he returned to Autun to give an account to the magistrate of the failure of his mission. He had not been able to find the dog. Before being received by the magistrate he had to wait in an ante chamber. dog came in, and out of the habit he measured the dogs paws To his delight he found that the paws exact ly corresponded to the ones he was look ing for. He rushed into the magistrates S room, holding the, dog, and announced with delight that he had just then diseov- cred the right animal, after three weeks of search. II was now question merely to discover the animals owner But the magistrate was now the surprised party It was his own dog He immediately solved the question however. Why" he said to the policeman, my dog was witt me the night of the crime and that ex- plains his footprnts.'
 M Lepne's determination to come for ward as d candidate for election to the Senate is the topic of a good deal of dis cussion m the lobbies. As d matter ol fact, he had been repeatedly solicited tc do so ever since his return. years ago from Algeria, where he held for com paratively brief period. the post of gov. ernor general. TIa great question is whether M. LepinF is likely to remain at the prefecture of police if he become: a senator. It is argued that he might dc iso, as M. de Selves combined with his sea in the senate the office of prefect of tn, department of the Seine. There are however, indications that the government
 EGG NOGG