El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-06-29

May Adopt System Of Prizes
and Penalties to Keep the
Population Growing.
$4,000 MORE DEATHS
THAN BIRTHS IN 1911

Paris, France, June 29.-Paul Leroy
Beaulieu, the eminent French econo-
mist, has issued a striking appeal to
Frenchmen and French women, in
which he points out the grave danger
of the depopUlatiOn and the denational-
izatiOn of France by the reduced birth
rate Last year the deaths exceeded
the births in France by almost $4,000,
and the total number of births in 1911
was 263, 600 less than the annual birth
rate during the second period of the
second empire.
NJ. Leroy-BeauIieu declares that the
drop in the French birth rate IS i'm
moral, due to the universal wish to
limit the family to minimum 1t Is
not alone due TO the fear of the expense
of bringing up children, but also he
claims to be pure egotism of married
couples, who 90 not wish to be bothered
by the rearing of infants
Remedies Suggested.
The economist has several remedies
for shat he considers very threatens
ing situation for TIE future of France
First he thinks, it is absolutely neces-
sary to teach the Frenchman that the
normal family should include not fewer
than three children. This teaching
should begin in the schools, both public
and denominational, so that it may be
prOpagated as a truth essential to the
maintenance Of the nation.
Furthermore, he favOrs the adoption
of a law, to be applied without excep-
ton, providing that no persons shall
hold public positions or be eligible for
government employment of any kind
unless they have three children The
need of the third Child-that Is what
must be insisted upon throughout
France, NJ Leroy-Beaulieu declares. He
estimates that of the average 10 mar
riageS, usually one or two bring Iorth
no children, while the remaining couples
content themselves with either one or
two children.
To Give Premiums For Births.
As an additional encouragement the
economist recommends the establish
ment of a system of state premiums
The sum of 500, in his opinion, should
be given for each third infant, as well
as for each additional infant This
premium should be distributed ire
Spective of the fortune of the parents,
and miIlionaireS should receive II as
well as the poor He estimates that
$50, OOO, 900 per year would be the cost to
the state of carrying out this plan he
believes that these premiums. II they
did not increase the birth rate, would
certainly hinder it from falling, and
considers it very much better to spend
the national money in this way than to
distribute it in old age pensions
It is better, he says, to suppress the
obligatory pensions and have $4,000 to
$4,000 more births per year Tor the
salvation of France demands that the
country shall be populated
Hafid a Poet.
Mulai Hafid. the sultan of Morocco, |
who recently left Fee for Rabat, has a |
reputation as a poet in the MOhamme-
dan world and is also recognized as /
writer on philosophy. His best known
poem has recently been translated into I
Spanish by senior Ricardo Baetsa-
The sultan starts by confessing his (
disenchantment with life. Translated
literally, this portion of his song reads: /
From the heights to which Fate has |
borne me, I see naught but human heads /
servilely bowed So high am placed !
that my hand outstretched could not |
encounter any other hand, any friendly !
hand" Then he reverts to the happy /
epoch when, as a simple camel driver,
he loved the beautiful BedOuin girl, /
Aneise, and her alone Today, sur
rounded with riches and hOnOrs. wearied |
with pleasures, the sultan sadly medi- /
tates HpOn the irrevOcable past and ]
upon his. first love
Patience.
Then, advancing to more impersOnal !
the sultan writes:
Patience Fate whispers to me. And /.
while eNpectant that the star of ancient /:
days shall shine again, resplendent !
more and more pearls, to the marvellous /
regalia Of Islam; and may the keen edge 7
Of the sword of vengeance open to us 3
at the prOpitiOus hour the road to final !
triumph Night sings my songs in Sc :
cret today; but tomorrow they shall be 4
intoned in the broad light, freely, glo- !
riousIyr'
The inference is taken to be that he /
hopes one day, not distant, to shake off :
the yoke, or the protectOrate of the 4
foreigner, and to recOnquer his inde- !
pendence as the cherif Of the Moors.