Denver labor bulletin., 1915-05-22

Ronald NlcNelll writes TO the LONDON
Evening Post on what has become a
social problem OF the most pressing
urgency Mr. Mcneil says:
1t may not vet be generally known
but good many people are aware OF the
fact. that all over the country in dis
tricts where large masses of troops have
been quartered. a great number of un-
married girls will become mothers within
Il few weeks from the present time. |
have information on one county borough
which is said not to be exceptional
where there are 1000 young women and
| girls in this condition The total num-
Der OF illegitimate children shortly to
be born is very many thousands, not Il
few of the prospective mothers being
little more than children themselves.
Now, these facts open up II prospect
which. unhappy under any, circum-
stances. will be nothing short of disas-
trous unless men of authority in church
and state resolve without delay to pre-
pare for it and to handle it with all
the wisdom. courage. and boldness they
can command. 1t is Just such problem
as the British public is prone to hide
away and to say and think as little
about as possible. But to ignore or
conceal the truth would be moral COW
ardice OF the deepest dye. To allow
events to take their own course, without
recognizing an imperative public duty to-
ward the young unmarried mothers and
their offspring. would be II national
crime.
Pleaas soI Children.
''lt is not as if we were merely faced
with the problem OF illegitimacy or an
uneNampled scale and in an acuter form
than ever before. All the circumstances
arr unprecedented. Sacred rs are mi-
man life and character ut all times the
present wastage of the most vigorou- Of
our manhood sets stamp OF exceptional
value on the approaching increment OF
population. No effort should be spared
to insure that these children come INTO
the world under healthy conditions. and
are reared so as to be credit. both NOR
ally and physically, to the country, and
il j. not less imperative that the moth.
ers, both for the children's sake and
their own should be saved from the dee
gradation which too often follows a sins
gle lapse from virtue. We must rr.o-
lutely cast aside established Theories
prciudiccs, nnd formulas about setting
Il premium ON immorality."
In the middle oi national life-aud-
death struggle. even the most censoriou-
and especially those pious persongges
who cNhort us to forgive the bestiulty
OF our cnemies-may surely look upon
the frailty of our own men and women
with an eye of sympathy and forgiveness
undarkened by blame. Very many Of
the men whose children are about to
he born have already amply redeemed
their fault by giving their lives for their
country and for us; and it will never be
possible to bring home responsibility for
their error to any who may ultimately
survive the battlefield. But let it be
frankly acknowledged that the women
are no more blameworthy than the men.
The strictest Justice. then, demands for
the women complete and whole hearted
forgiveness, sympathy, and assistance.
At this great and memorable period of
our history let there be no repetition on
large scale of the horrible hypocrisy
that idolized Nelson and left the woman
10 starve whom he committed with his
dying breath to the nations keeping.
Shame Racks Girls.
What" asks Mr.. Mcneil. is to be
done: Thousands OF young girl, are
nearing the ordeal of womanhood rackcd
with shame and with terror of the cruel
censure OF the world they live in. Many
are already tempted to criminal means OF
escape from the consequences of un-
chastity; some may be tempted later
even to the capital offense. For the vast
majority there is, at all events. the pros
pect Of hildbearing in unprepared con-
ditions, almost certainly without proper
attendance either OF midwife or doctor,
and, as regards locus, with choice be-
tween their own narrow, crowded home,
among angry, outraged and censorious
relations and neighbors, and flight they
know not whittier And what about the
children. who will form an appreciable
proportion of the next generation OF
Englishmeng Are they, the offspring OF
the heroes OF the Marine, OF Ipres, or