American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1916-03-02
BABY WEEK AND BABY YEAR.

(By Mrs. A. L. Thorne. President of
the L. d. s. Relief Society
Since the beginning OF time men
and women have married and had
children born unto them. Tn varying
degrees have they sensed the import
ance OF protecting the lives OF these
children and their proper training.
Perhaps never before has 80 great
an effort been made to lessen infant
mortality and to see that the little
ones shall be s~afeguarded physically,
menally and morally as Is evident to-
day.
People realize that the perpetuation
Of the race Is a sacred duty. Then,
too, the love which mankind feels fol
babies IN their helplessness and in
their purity Is a motive power for az
cry effective action. The cost is an
other factor. Men consider the price
in suffering, and In the money that
has been paid that n of these little
ones might be. and they feel that the
expenditure has been too great to
have the life snuffed out through ig-
and the lax enforcement OF
law.
The word has gone forth that 1916
10 baby year..
Several things will conduce to make
this word true.
The nations OF EUROPE. owing to the
terrible loss OF men, realize the press
ing need OF increasing the birth rate,
II the nations are to retain their places
among the powers OF the world. The
agitation that has been going on in
our own land has passed the stage
of mere talk, has reached the stage
OF action. Concentrated effort Is
manifested on every hand to rouse
all people to do whatever lies In their
power to safeguard the little ones. A
nation wide baby campaign marks the
development Of the growing interest
In the welfare of the babies.
The purpose OF this campaign Is
two fold; first. 10 give the parents an
opportunity OF learning the facts with
regard to the care of their babies;
second, to make known to a commun-
ity the importance of It's babies.
Baby week should be- a campaign
IN which all organizations should CO.
operate for a common aim.
Our birth is but u sleep and a for
getting.
The soul which rises with us Is our
life's star;
Hath had elsewhere It's setting and
cometh from afar,
Not In entire forgetfulness and not In
utter nakedness,
But In trailing clouds Of glory. do
we come from God,
Who Is our Home.
What is woman's greatest Joy? In
answer | VIII say that the greatest
Joy that comes to womankind is when
after long months OF suffering. both
bodily and mentally. and hours or
anxious waiting she clasps to her
bosom her o born babe and hears
its first glad cry. Oh. then comes her
greatest Joy for has she not walked
hand In hand with God down through
the shadows of death to obtain this
priceless giftY this new liter then II
rs h supreme moment OF her life
the greatest Joy that comes to earth.
The wonder OF It, the privilege OF ere
ating a now life. II It we're not for
q mothers watchful care a baby
wiuld perish at birth, It Is SO depend
ent upon Its mother. Is Il not true
that a baby IL the most helpless OF
all the animal kind that are born. and
yet he rises TO the greatest power on
earth.
Man is that he might have 10Y.
How a We obtain joyY Only through
keeping the first great commandment
that God gave to our father and moth
err, Adam and Eve. Be fruitful and
multiply and replenish the earth. II
makes n tremble with fear to think
OF the great sin that prevails upon the
earth today. Woman refusing to
bring forth into the earth the spirits
Of men. the great Gin OF race suicide.
How many little spirits have had their
life snuffed out and have had to re-
turn TO their maker without the priv.
1lege of coming to earth and taking
themselves a mortal body: O.,
why are women SO weak and heart