The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-12-09
CHURCHES SCORE
STORK BECAUSE
BIRTH DECREASE
Economic Reasons Play Most
Important Part.
Also Blame Tenements and
Apartment Houses.
WEALTHY AVOID burden"
Divorce Not Hasty; Majority
So. After Years. Marriage.
Church Council Report Also
Analyses Social Evils.
Divorce Not Hasty; Majority
So. After Years. Marriage.
Church Council Report Also
Analyses Social Evils.

St T.ouis. Mo. Dec 9.-The declin-
ing birth rate was discussed in the re-
mort of the commission on family lie
presented to the federal council OF
churches of Christ in America TINS
afternoon.
THAT there is a declining birth rate
in the United States, as well as every
where else in the civilized Worlo ca Ii
not be doubted" said the report;
is interesting to observe that with the
lowering of the birth rate IN the United
States there is also a lowering OF the
death rate. The latter has fallen
much more rapidly than the former
and hence the increase OF population
has not been arrested.
ant Grim Reaper Lays Behind.
Deaths are fewer because OF ad-
vanced knowledge in medicine, the
better water supply and reforms IN
milk inspection, housing. and SANTA
ton But the steadily falling birth
rate will overtake this decrease in
mortality in due time. Already II Is
apparent that if it were not for lmml-
grafton the increase in population
would be very slight in certain sec
tons of the country.
when we seek the causes for the
falling birth rate we discover that
economic reasons play most impor-
tant part An increasing number OF
single women refuse marriage because
it will impair their economic lnde-
pendence, or interfere with their en-
trance into professional careers. Pos
sjbIy an equal number of women who
do marry are eager after marriage to
follow some remuneratiVe and con-
genial occupation with which child
bearing would interfere; while nus
bands who find that large famllles
make difficult their material progress,
cd La Gi
Inherent ScIfishness Cause.
1.-THE falling birth rate is not ac-
counted for so much by childless mar
riages as by restricted families of one
or two children. For this the longest
ed life in tenementS and apartment
houses must bear its share of respon-
sibility. other instances are OCCASION
ed by the i'll health of one of the
parents who recognize the peril OF
transmitting disease to their offspring.
But it is to be feared that beyond
all these causes the inherent selfish
ness of husband and wife who desire
to be saved from the burdens of
parenthood is most influential among
people in good circumstances.
Since there is no method of coun-
teracting these tendencies by govern
mental control, and since it probably
will continue to be a fact that large
families will be among the lowly, it
would seem incumbent upon the state
to counteract this downward trend by
legislation to encourage marriages and
births"
Mothers and Widows Pensions.
In this connection the report re-
ferred to mothers and widows PEN
sions.
large section of the report was
devoted to divorce.
at is a striking fact" said the re-
the dissolution of marriage has oc-
CURED. not hastily after a brief trial,
but deliberately after a considerable
period of marriage.
"On the whole it must be consid-
cred that the increase in divorce is
not altogether evidence of moral de-
cline on the part of the American peo-
pie. Nor is it strictly accurate to
claim that divorce is the underlying
cause for breaking up of the home,
since the happiness of many a house
hold has been ruined long before the
action for divorce was begun
Would Investigate Marriages.
The report emphasized regulation
of marriage rather than need of di-
vorce LEGISLATION and recommended
compulsory registration of marriages
an obligatory interval between is
suance of the license and marriage
ceremony to permit investigation OF
1AAC PAppOStu uIiOil. refusal OF mar
rage licenses to the feeble-minded
epileptics. tubercular persons and to
sufferers from communicable socia
diseases, and to the criminally degen-
crate.
ImmOdcsty of Dress. Social.
OF the social evils and its causes the
report said:
Portrayal of RIGHTEOUSNESS on tn,
stage; broad exposure of indelicacy or
bill boards. evil suggestions aboundin.
in literature of the day the immodesty
in the dress of women. the constan
appeal of fashionable society to The
lower instincts. the Haunting of vic,
in attractive guises in the very face.
of the young on the streets the un
holy familiarity of the vulgar in treat
Ing the most sacred functions O
motherhood-these and scores of 9th
er elements which abound in curren
life, constantly increase the liability f,
every form of immortality"
The report urged that a Strong re
ligious impulse" be back of anti-vic,
instruction of the young and that "se,
education, as part of our socia
hygiene, receive earnest attention
This latter, the report said, could .stak
its place naturally in a course of bio
logical study, removed from airy asso
citation that would appeal to prurien
curiosity