Evening journal., 1915-09-13
RY MILRrR 5. rORREsT.

United Press STAFF Correspondent
LONDON. Sept 2-(By MaiD.-Ths
war is sapping tho manhood of the me-
tion; save the babies.
This cry is invading England today
and almost for the first time in his
tory the government and municipal
authorities are giving the subject
earnest attention. The terrible toll of
the battle fields. which the casualty
lists. printed in the newspapers, em-
phasize each day, has begun to make
England think about the future Of the
race
Medical authorities arc giving
"Hints TO Mothers" through the press,
and systematic Investigations of in
FAINT life in the slums arc bringing
forth remarkable revelations
Englands slums are the worst in
the world and England's new baby
campaign" has brought this fact home
TO the government and the people
The medical authorities have Just
discovered that i'm Finsbury. the great
slum section of London. the birth rate
Is greater than the average for Eng
land and Wales. But why infants
here die at the rate OF llS in 1000
has also been brought TO light and
corrective measures arc being taken
Among the many obsessions pre-
vailing IN this section. as reported by
Or F A. Thomas. a municipal IN
yesticator are;
That just before and after child
birth a mother should drink gin
that maternity nurses are not neces-
sary in case Of childbirth, that baby
cannot make enough heat 10 sleep in
cot by itself: that q baby must not
be subjected TO fresh air because II
will get sore eyes; that II is unluckv
TO weigh a baby and dangerous 10 cut
It's hngernails that boiled bread is
proper food for infants; that milk
bottles should be cleaned with kero-
sine because "kerosine viii clean any
thing"
These. according TO the investigator
are some of the contributing causes
of the excessive infant mortality IN
Fncland's slums. and all of these half
supcrstitions are kindred OF appalling
conditions Of filth and ignorance.
Londons slums are dirtier than any
others. he stated and If an infant lives
through the first six months. II can
live through anything. The fathers of
these slum families are lahorers. haw-
kers. beggars. cripples. porters. odd
work men. old men. thieves and the
usual raiile. The mothers are char.
women or engaged In like occupations
But the fathers have largely disnp.
peared from the slums.
They have gone TO war. The wives
have encouraged them to enlist. &
many cases because the government
separation allowance comes to NOR
than the husbands can normally earn
With the money. the majority OF tn
women drink. raise babies to die. o
be neglected. Moreover they ofte
pawn the scant few household thing
FOR drink
The notification of births ofte
comes to the authorities in the hand
writing Of children. apparently dictai
I'd by mother and a committee Of rel
atives Here Is a portion Of one {
these notifications:
"Prasant at birth mother and m
ladv what makes the tea we don
know her adres. Saw father WASH
prosant so he don't know about IL s
please excuse him but mother know
II was a stilo born and not in tn
according 10 the regulations please
say If Il was not ! don't sihink.'
The war is going to make thes
conditions in the slums. conditions {
The past. the authorities say. The rae
even in the slums must be preserved
LONDON. Sept. 2.-(By Maill-Ho
the news Of the big war penetrate
10 the Arctic circle and rooted OF
an tnglishman who has just return
cd 20 fight was told here today.
Henry James. a subaltern. was "a
miles north Of Edmonton when on
lay an Indian passed his camp an
volunteered the information that
pig war was on.
That's all right" James answere,
Mexico and the United States al
At IT,"
The Indian. however. insisted tn;
Il was bigger fight
James later struck camp and lou
neyed TO the nearest trading no
where he learned that England hs
been AZ war for months. He immed