The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-06-23
POWERSIN DANCER
Lower Birth Rate StareS World
Nations in Face.
Smaller Countries May Gain
the Ascendancy.
ARE CHILDREN A BURDEN?
Noted French Protestant
BIames Love of Ease.
Luxury May Cause Overthrow
of Forces.

Kansas City, Mo. June 23.-That I'M
less the rapid decrease in birth rates
of the dominant nations is checked, the
smaller nations of the world ultimately
will gain ascendancy, is the opinion of
the Rev. Charles Milne d'Aubigne of
Paris, French delegate to the second
worlds Christian citizenship conference
which opens in Portland, Ore, June
g. Dr. d'Aubigne is in Kansas City
today.
1.-The greatest problem France is
now facing is that of the decreasing
birth rate said he. And that is
more or less true of all the stronger
nations. 1t has been noted with alarm
in Germany in Austria, in the United
States and even in England.
THE cause seems to be the modern
love of luxury, the disposition of each
generation to look more to it's own
comfort than did the preceding. The
rearing of children is a burden, accord
ing to the modern viewpoint, and ones
ease is so important that one doesn't
wish to divide it with a family of
youngsters.
In France there is another element
not always noted elsewhere. The
thrift of the average Frenchman is a
considerable factor in preventing an
increase in the birth rate. He saves his
surplus earnings for old age and is un-
willing to take the material risk of
rearing a large family.
In all of the more highly civilized
and more generally cultured nations,
the tendency is the Same-fewer chill
dren to the family. In your own ma
ton it is the immigrant who keeps up
the general average. Otherwise We
now would be pointing to you as an
example of decreasing birth rate. I'm
| less a change comes, it means the pass
ing of the stronger nations of the
earth and the supremacy of the little
people who still are unspoiled enough
to reproduce themselves.
Believes a Change Is Coming.
But 1 think a change will come. I
believe revival of the Christian spirit
and a new application of that spirit to
the problems of the modern world will
| bring the larger nations back to normal
lives.
The liquor problem is an increasing
ly momentous one to the French peo-
pie. 1t may seem strange to you, but
the high class Freedman does not get
drunk. 1t is the working man who is
responsible for the farming increase
in the use of alcoholic liquors. Partic-
ularly is the use of absinthe, which is
nothing less than rank poison, increas-
ing.
THE divorce. problem is another
which looms large before us. Divorce
is not so prevalent in France as in the
United States, but it is rapidly grow
ing more prevalent. 1 attribute this to
the modern lack of religious influence.
The people are straying away from the
churches. Family ties are not held as
sacred as they should be. There is too
strong a tendency to regard marriage
as merely a contract
These are some of the things that
we will talk about in Portland. They
are the big problems everywhere. The
cure lies in the application of the prin-
ciples of Christianity TIC every phase of
modern life"
Dr. d'Aubigne is one of the most
noted ministers of Protestant France
and is a leader in the movement for
applied Christianity.