Valdez daily prospector., 1913-12-03
"WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 3, 1918.
THE CHILDREN OF THE NATION.

THE CHILDREN OF THE NATION.
 The United States children's bu' reau, says the Houston Chronicle, un' der the direction Of Julia c. Lathrop, has issued it's first volume of statis- tics dealing with the nations child life.
 Could the cold, unsentimental ta- bles be resolved into picture of the prattling, laughing myriads they rep resent, this nation would be astonish- ed at what it's child life really is, not only as an element of future growth and development, but as giant factor in the living, vibrating present.
 Of the 9O,OOO,OO0 people in this country, more than 40,000,0OO are un- der 21 years of age, while nearly 30,- 100000 are under 15. Think of it! More than 45 per cent of the entire population has not arrived at that stage where it can be described as consisting of men and women, while nearly one-third of the entire popula- ton either wears short trousers or goes with it's hair in braids.
 One-third of the nation is yet brim- ming over with the joys and irrespon- sible optimism of childhood's happy days, but slowly rising from the misty dawn of somewhere to put on the garments of toll and worry and take the future into it's young, strong hands.
 The prattling myriads of today will presently resolve themselves into the workers, the achievers and the mold CTS of tomorrow Two decades more and the present romping throngs will have become the grave, hard-featured parents of another and greater gen. eration.
 And what about these 30,00000O children who will shortly take com- mand of the nations destiny? Are they verile, strong and healthy, and are they growing up as true disciples of Americanism? Are they products of other races and other climes, as some would have us think. or are they the sons and daughters of this great republic in the truest and strictest sense of the word? Will they bring into our declining years the garble of strange tongues and the advocacy fov will hn1 still cling to the standards of the old American ideals.
 Of the 30,O00,000 under l5 years of age, 3,500,000 are of negro descent 100000 are foreign born and more than 100000 are born of foreign parentage. In other words, of every 100 children in this country under Is years of age, 13 are negroes, three are foreign born, 25 are of foreign parentage, while 59 are sprung from native white stock.
 It is doubtful if at any time in it's whole history the United States could show 8 more promising group of chil- dren so far as nativity is concerned, or one which will grow up with a stronger love of the nation and it's ideals. It must be- remembered that this country was conceived and born in foreign lands; that it has been built up from the best that Europe could contribute; that it was first founded as refuge for the oppressed and the downtrodden, and that it has grown great by absorbing the ele- ments that came into it from abroad.
 Sometimes we are inclined to shud- der as we think of the countless hordes pouring in from certain for eign shores, and are inclined to adopt stricter regulations with reference to immigration; but when it is remem- bered that our ancestors came the same way and for the same purpose, and when we glance at the 30,0O0,O00 of our children who are growing up strong in the maxims and ideals of the past, we shall perhaps be a lit tie more optimistic as to the future and little more charitable as to the present.