The Washington times., 1915-09-13
MANHOOD OF ENGLAND
SAPPED BY WARP FARE
Government Authorities Begin to
Think Seriously About Fu-
ture Of Race.
BY WILBUR s. FORREST.

LONDON. Sept. 2 (by maiD D.-The war
is sapping the manhood OF the nation;
save the babies.
This cry Is invading England today
and almost for the first time In history
the government and municipal authori-
ties are giving the subject earnest at
tention. The terrible toll of the battle
fields. which the casualty lists printed
In the newspapers emphasize each day,
has begun to make England think
about the future OF the race.
Medical authorities are giving Hints
to Mothers through the press. and sys :
tematic Investigations of infant life In
the slurns ARE bringing forth remark
able revelations.
Epglands slums are the worst In the
world and England's new Sbaby cam
paiEn" has brought this fact home to
tho government and people.
Die At Rate of 11.8 Per Cent.
| The medical authorities have just dis
covered that in Fnsbury,, the great
slum section Of London. the birth rate
is greater than the average for England
and Wales. But why infants here die
at the rate Of 1ls in 1000 has also been
brought to light and corrective meas
ures are being taken.
Among the many obsessions prevail
ing In this section. as reported by Dr.
f. A. Thomas. a municipal investigator,
are:
That Just before and after childbirth
mother should drink gin: that ma
ternity nurses are not necessary In case
of childbirth, that a baby cannot make
enough heat to sleep In cot by itself;
that a baby must not be subjected to
fresh air. because it will get sore eyes:
that is is unlucky to weigh a baby and
dangerous to cut its finger nails; that
boiled bread Is proper food for infantsi
, that milk bottles should be cleaned
with kerosene. because kerosene Will
clean anything"
These, according to the investigator
are some of the contributing causes o1
the excessive infant mortality In Eng
lands slums, and all Of these half
conditions of fifth and ignorance. Lon
don's slums are dirtier than any others
it is stated. and II an infant live'
through the first six months T. car
live through anything. The fathers o.
ers, beggars, cripples.. porters. odd
work men. old men, thieves. and the
usual rattle. The mothers are char
women or engaged in like occupations
Many Women Drink.
But the fathers nave largely dispa
peared from the slums.
They have gone to war. The wives
have encouraged them to enlist. II
many cases because the government
separation allowance comes to NOR
than the husbands can normally earn earn
With -he money. the majority OF IN
women drink. raise babies to die. o
be neglected. Moreover they often paw
the scant few household things 10
| The notification Of births often come
to the authorities in the handwrtin'
Of children. apparently dictated by tn
mother and a committee Of relatives
Here is a portion Of one OF these mott
"Presant at birth mother and th
lady what makes the tea we don.
know her adres. Say father ~asn
presant SO he don't know about It 9
piease excuse him but mother know
II was a stile born and not In he ac
cording to the regulations please to sa
n It was not I don't think
The war is going to make Ise, these con on
mast the authorities say. The race eve
in the slums must be preserved.