The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-05-26
Germany Will Make Germans
of Them, Is Report.
IT ISN'T FAULT OF BABIES
Therefore, Countries Say, 'Le-
gitimatiZe Them ALI"
Soldiers May Marry Girl Ex-
pectants by Proxy.

London, May 26.-Of all the grave
problems confronting Europe just now
none is arouSing more comment and
controversy than that of the war
babies" the offspring of soldiers and
unmarried women in districts oc-
cupied by the enemy, or where large
numbers of soldiers of the various bel
ligerent nations have been quartered.
1t is most serious in Belgium and
northern France, where large num-
bers of Belgian and French women
have already or are about to become
mothers of babies whose fathers are
German soldiers.
Advise Infanticide.
Many of these women have been
unwilling victims of the So1diery, and
such is the feeling aroused that, in
Belgium, women have openly been
advised to commit infanticide rather
than rear the children of the invaders.
Germany has also taken action;
many of the expected babies are to be
taken into Germany and brought up
there as Germans. Already associa-
tons of German women have been
formed and representatives sent to
Belgium to carry out this plan.
In addition to the war babies born
of French mothers and French sol
diers quartered in the districts where
war is raging France, too, has a prob
lem like that of Belgium her
hands in those districts of the north
which have been or are still occupied
by the invaders.
The French government. throwing
aside hypocrisy and delay, has insti-
tuted legislation to provide for les
intrus" (the interlopers), the war
babies of France are known.
At Expense of State.
1t is planned to legitimatize all Of
them and have them brought up at
the expense of the state. if the moth
ers so desire.
In addition to this the mothers may,
if they wish, give birth to their ba bies
in maternity hospitals thrown open to
them by the government, unbe
knownst to their relatives and friends
and may then leave the babies in the
hands of the government, thus SPAR
ing them selves and the little ones the
shame which would come to them if
they stayed at home.
Would Legalize Infanticide.
Senator Louis Martin has been ad-
gested in Belgium He is not only in
favor of having mothers of children
by German soldiers commit infanti-
eide, but wishes such a course legal
ized. ~ -
| This finds favor also in the districts
which have suffered German occupa-
ton, where a number of those expect
ing to become grandfathers and
grapdmOtherS of 'interiOperS'' have
urged President Poincare of France
during his recent visit to those por-
lions of northern France won back by
the French armies from the invaders
to consider the legalization of infanti-
eide.
Before taking any action, the presi-
dent told them, he would consult the
home secretary and director of state
relief.
Victims Include Nuns.
1t is said that the women of Bel
GUM and northern France forced to
do the will of the invaders are of all
classes of the population, even includ-
ing nuns in converts and school girls.
NJ. Maurice Barres, the well known
writer, who is a deputy to the French
legislature from Lorraine, has written
a bitter Indictment of the kaiser's
men, officers and soldiers, accusing
them of infamous conduct toward the
women of the districts occupied by
them, and he is only one of many who
have written on the subject.
England Has Problem
England also is confronted with a
war baby problem, though the foot
of the invader has not touched her
soil. Hers has to do with the illegiti
mate births expected in localities
where large bodies of British troops
have been Quartered since the out
break of the war last August. .t
Unlike their neighbors, the French,
the English have not faced this prob
lem squarely and adopted measures to
meet it, and result, the news
papers of Great Britain are filled with
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