Sioux County pioneer. (Fort Yates, Sioux County, N.D.) 1914-1929, 1915-06-11
Correspondent Investigates WAR
Babies" and Finds Moral Men
Are Applauding Their Coming

Throw out the life line! The grand
old ship, British Morality, cut adrift
by the war, is shipping out to sea
amid fog. storm and breakers, and the
coast guard is by no means sure that
all hands will not be lost.
The very essence of the British sys~
TEN of ethics, it's first commandment,
is that any such subject as illegiti-
mate children we must pass with stern
and averted faces. while with hand
Nplift in horror we motion sinners to
punishment.
1t is from this safe anchorage. hall
lowed. by tradition, that the national
ship has gone adrift in Il way to make
silence impossible.
When the youths of the land were
enlisted for its defense they were
placed in trimming camps scattered
about the country. Lately the discov-
cry has been made that in the neigh
borhood of every training camp Il large
aumber of unmarried women expect
soon to become mothers.
The situation thus created is ;wk-
ward. BY some of the powers t''"t he
and eminent statesmen n strong though
yelled campaign has oecn G...I.-t. -.
to secure some such result ;is this, but
to secure it under the sacred seal OF
lawful wedlock- To have babies born
without that formali:y is very differ
Ont and very embarrassing-in Il coun-
try priding itself ON the Strictest Nor
ality.
Very Easy to Be War Bride
In a quiet but effective way the I'M
tn r
unto himself 4 wife before he shall de-
part for the front. War brides" ac-
cordingiy have become a familiar and
somewhat joculsar topic. To make army
marriages easy and common, handy
clergymen have been provided, char
ges reduced and formalities dispensed
with.
Better get married before you so
my boy" says the sergeant. THE sep
aratioh allowance will take care of the
wife. you know"
Sir Pandarus Is Il new role for gov
eminent to play. but that has been
about the truth Of the case here
Newlyweds are not hurried to the
front.
Observe then the nations prcdica.
mGnt. In thousands of other cases the
ceremony has been omitted. This vio-
lates the iustere law and all cherish
ed conventions. Out upon the bold
faced jades, and all that. Yes, but the
fathers of these children are the ma
tional heroes that have rallied to tho
call of the king, and tic rescue of the
empire We have just been showerint
upon them praise and glory. The Law
vfor HofrsklNfinn Yes. hi
you don't want to punish and disgrace
your defenders, you know. The yer,
foundations of morality are attacked
Yes. but the brave, gallant soldier
you know, and SO on.
The first painful Shock of discover!
being over the professional moralist'
now trying to bring the nation bacl
to accustomed moorings by denyin.
the story and vindicatins the charac
ter of the volunteers. Tile accounts
printed. they say, abou: the prospec
tive unmarried mothers have beef
enormously exaggerated. One repor
said that in one street of q garrison
city there were 400 SUCH cases. .IxWes
tigation showed that there were mo
400. think there were only 800. Con
seqaently the whole agitation is 4
wash of extravaganza"
Number Of War Babies Under-
estimated
Yet am privately assured by "a,
eminent publicist who has been look
ing into this matter. that real con
ditions have been undcrxtated. not eX
aggerated. will not rey ut here tn
total of his estimates because it woul
seem sheer fantasy. but If he is right
enough illeghinate children will
born in Great Britain in the next fey
months to offset all the lives the coun
try has lost 80 Tar at least on tn
battlefield