The Ellensburg dawn. [volume] (Ellensburg, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1913-01-30
Mothers Will
Be Pensioned
England, Alarmed at Decreasing
Birth Rate, Passes National
Insurance Law

With an eye singled to the future
welfare of the country, the English
parliament has passed law that has
but single obiect-the preservation
of the English race. 1t is known as
the British national insurance law,
and provides for birth bounty of
$3.50 for each child born. besides
medical attendance for the mother.
Obviously, its purpose is to check the
growing tendency on the part of
PARENTS to avoid the responsibilities
and Inconvenience of parenthood, a
tendency that is bringing England
rapidlv to the condition in which
France now finds herself. The passage
4 Of this law comes as the result of a
thorough investigation into the vital
statistics of the nation, together with
the various influences that have
brought about the present low birth
rate. Seven and bait dOllars will by
no means ease the burden of the
mother in travail, nor viii it com
pensate her for the wee''s of anxious
waiting and hours of IVORY. But the
action of parliament is in the right
direction and will no doubt have
some influence on the birth rate
The passage of the law Indicates
the alarm felt by Brtons for the fu-
ture of the race. They evidently find
menace, as did Rome. in the fallin /,
off in the number of soldiers availa-
BILE. Slavery, malaria, lust of gold ana
decay of religion have played their
part in the decay of empires, but
in Rome and Greece, at least, the
dearth of children in patrician fam
lilies was largely responsible for the
decline of national prowess. England
ia alive to her condition, so much 50
that a tendency is manifest to throw
the burden of taxation upon the man
with small family. with the idea
of placing a premium upon the large
family of former generations. The
birth rate in Great Britain is scarcely
three in each family. an insufficient
number to maintain the present pop
ulation, taking into consideration that
more than one from each family will
die or remain unmarried. And of all
classes, the lowest birth rate is among
the aristocratic class.
Probably no sterner lesson conld
have been meted ont to the Britons
than that of the Boer war. When the
flower of England's young officers
failed to achieve the success de-
manded of them in South Africa, a
call was issued for volunteers. Physi-
cal standards for entrance to the
army were high and the number of
applicants who could measure up to
the rigid requirements did not come
up to the number desired. The stand
ard was lowered and another call
sounded, but still the lists were UNI
filled. Again the standards were low
cred until the former were shamed by
the material that now found a place
IN the ranks. Yet stil, the army was
too small. And why this alarming con
dltion in country snn.osedlv over
flowing with wealth! There was but
one explanations: The only man TO
apply for the job was the poor, IN
derfed, down-and-out. iobless castout
OF society. LOafino about in the pub
nc parks, sneaking from one joint to
the next to avoid the round up billy
Of the policeman. staggering from gut
Yer to gutter. without hope. without
friends. without food, this poor un-
fortunate would have welcomed II
chanee to go to South Africa and
nght for the country that had not
provided him with the necessities of
me- But hi was too weak. He could
not fulfill the requirements of the
army. And England saw one of the
factors that 60 to make up the great
cause for national snioide. These were
Tue Kind of people from whom many
OF her future acquisitions for defense
must be made. These were the fathers
VI the future generations. the wives
., whom were just as poorly fed and
clothed
we do not presume to say that the
alarm Of England over the decrease
IN the birth rate had its inception in
'n'S incident of the Boer war. The
case is merely cited as affording in
part an explanation for this alarming
condition that is common to America
Us we'll as England and France. 1t
Is easy to understand why the poor
umueried mortal who failed in his ap
p"cation for place in the ranks
v"'u hesitate to bring an innocent
oaoe into the world to suffer the
Mseries he was compelled to endure
- ne found it impossible to properly
reed and clothe himself and his de-
pendent wife, how could he provide
lcf the little ones. So the condition.
~ society drove him to crime in
eAa OF the sacred duties of parent
.ood Tor which God intended him. OF
you MS poor wife was the breadwin
, ssl, for, in this age of specialized
'soof' female help is cheaper thar
'e and the sweat shop is Away,
lContinued on page FOUR