El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-11-30
IN
BIRTHS To
Be P80BED
France to Seek Cause and
Endeavor to Find Remedy
For the Evil.
NEW POSTAL LAW
AFFECTS TOURISTS

Paris, France, Nov. 30-At last the
government appears to have hit upon a
| practical plan for the investigation Of
! the causes for the declining birth rate.
1t is hoped that the remedy also VIII
be found.
For years thinking Frenchmen have
| been distressed at what has come to be
described as the depOpulation of
France, but all attempts to arrest the
decrease have been ha1f-hearted and
have resulted in measures that proved
Ineffective Mr.. KlOtz, the minister of
finance, who worked out the present
plan, says that the problem is one Of
national defence.
It is now proposed to establish, under
the Craftsmanship of the minister 70
finance, a commission composed of ex-
perts in each branch Of the subject,
VINO VIII be able to deal effectively
with the social, military, legal and
scientific sides of the question. The
commission will be divided into five
committees. The first will take up the
administrative and legal side and in
quire into naturalization and marriage
laws and the question Of infanticide
and kindred evils.
The second committee will consider
the military aspect of the subject in
Guiding the effect OF the birth rate on
recruiting and army organization The
third will study infantiIe mortality, ny
giene, intemperance and tuberculosis,
together with questions Of assistance
to mothers and of the proper edUca-
ton OF the sexes The fourth viii
study how best to encourage the growth
Of large families and how to assist
those which have become too large for
the financial means of the parents.
For UpIift of Youths.
At the same time the government is
giving closer attention to the welfare
and morals Of the youth OF the country.
In order to discourage elandestine
meetings between boys and girls and
make difficult the exchange of. CORES
pOndence that might not be approved
by parents or guardians, the French
pOstOffice has adopted a regulation
prohibiting boys under 10 years of age
and girls under IS years receiving let
tiers through the general delivery de-
partment.
VIII Interfere with Tourists.
Another new postal regulation IS
likely to receive less popular approval,
particularly among tourists. It stipu-
lates that persons applying for mail at
the general delivery must produce doc
umentary legal evidence OF their iden-
tity. Unfortunately what constitutes
legal proof of identity is left TO the
discretion Of postal employees. Per-
manent foreign residents can obtain
registration certificate that will answer
the purpose, but the traveller in France
is not accorded this privilege.
An idea Of what may be expected is
suggested in the recent experience OF
an American resident who sought to
cash a misdirected telegraphic money
order. In vain he produced in success
sion a bank pasSbOOk, several rent re-
ceipts, a number of envelopes addressed
to him which had passed through the
post, a readers card for the Biblio-
theque Rationale (obtainable by for
eigners only through their ambassa-
dors), visiting cards, tax payment re-
ceipts. a club membership card. a rail-
a summons to appear before the police
judge. a subpoena, a gas deposit receipt,
a Journalists police pass signed by the
project Of police, a dog license, and a
birth certificate.
Finally he discovered that the jani-
tor at his lodgings was a pOstman and
the influence Of so cents proved the
solution of the trouble.
Kings Hand Is Read.
The superstitious are finding satis-
faction in a report that the hand Of
the king of Bulgaria was read some
time ago by young army officer, who
saw in ii a meteOric career for 1912, 1
but something in accord with the sin
lister reputation Of IS for the year fol- /
lowing.
A legend says that king named |
Michael viii rule at COnstantinOpIe, and !
the Russians who believe this story re-
fleet that the grand duke in line with |
the king after the crown prince is /
named Michael. This man, they say. is |
destined to raise the cross under the I
dome OF st. Sofia, where MahOmet II /
rode on horseback and thus, it is al /
eyed, prOfaned the temple Of the Chris I
tan faith.