The Washington herald., 1916-06-18
The Worth of a Baby.
BY ELLIS MEREDITH.

The statement OF DR.. Irving Fisher
that a baby is worth $50 has certainly
added to the gayety of nations at Z
time when gayety is at premium.
Paragrapher and cartoonlst have made
the most Of 1t. and there isn't a walt
mason In the land who hasn't taken
his trusty typewriter in hand and
thumped out a Jingle. while the man
next door who wouldn't take a million
dollars for his baby. or give a cent
for yours, has Joined in the general
laughter. Blessings on thee, Fisher
man. for the scientist who can make
grim facts a cause OF glee is the sci
enlist for me.
1t isn't so funny when he says a
man is only worth $4,000. There are
women who would reverse the figures
for a fairly good baby ought to offer
at least $4,000 worth OF possibilities.
while many men would be dear at half
the price Still that sum as a regular
market quotation on men shows q
bearish tendency. Even railroads.
which are not too tenderly sentimental.
rate a perfectly good man. IN reason
able repair, as worth $4,000. and have
been known to pay that much for him
after he was dead.
This ridiculously low figure must be
a result OF the European war that has
II seems only At to be rated along with
gun cotton and other munitions.
After we all get through laughing over
the Idea that a baby is only worth $50 it
is Just possible that some one may ask
for additional information. Womens
clubs and parent-teacher associations arc
given to Investigation. and If they do they
will find that DR.. Fisher can furnish it
A few years ago he wrote the report on
Conservation Commission. It was duly
published IN that cheap and nasty"
style that marks our governmental pub
lications, a style which would make even
The Three Guardsmen" look dull and
uninviting. The pamphlet is known as
Senate Document 4l9, and consists of lGI
closely printed pages. If we consider its
content It is far better worth the heavy
paper. gilt edges and morocco binding
than the Jefferson Bible" brought out
in a limited de luxe edition sometime
since by the Government Printing Office
II we were to treat 1t as the American
New Testament, and run this country ac-
cording to the information contained
therein, one decade would suffice to show
a startled world what civilization ought
to mean.
After reading this book a prominent
club woman said, Now that's what I
think government is for; don't pretend
to understand the tariff, or financial sys-
TENS. or why my husband thinks we
must vote this ticket, while my father is
sure the country will go to perdition If
we don't vote the other. II doesn't even
interest me much, but I do understand
the necessity for pure air and food and a
sanitary water supply. And l think
understand about babies-one dies every
ten seconds. six have died during the
minute I've been talking! But no. I'm all
wrong, don't understand, none of US un-
derstand! If We did we wouldn't Just
talk; we'd do something about it,
Which is probably quite true. for
even at the very reasonable rate Of
$50 per baby this country can hardly
afford to sacrifice $4,000, 900 worth OF
babies annually. and needlessly DR.
Fisher shows that at least A. per cent
Of these deaths could be prevented
and probably II we put our minds to
it we might save a much greater per
cent One out Of every six babies
born in the United States dies before
it is a year old. In New Zealand only
one out of hundred and forty sue
cumbs OF course, the comparison is
hardly fair. for New Zealand has an
equable and fairly uniform climate
and not a great diversity of races. but
making all possible allowances the
disparity is still too great.
Any scheme OF preparedness" that
does not have a correlative some
where in the background for taking
care of the nations children is a poor
scheme, for 1t does not work both
ways With more terrible means of
dealing death there must come
greater regard for life at its begin
nings or we shall Inevitably lose that
poise and balance of the soul without
which no people can. be truly great
The first British settlement OF Australia
was In 17ss, when eleven ships, contain