The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1916-04-14
POLYGAMY PROPOSALS
REJECTED in GERMANY

LOCO of the population. and he said
that the birth rate had fallen dur
ing this time more rapidly than dur
ing the previous twenty-five years.
No civilized people,. he con-
unued. has ever shown such n
drop in 80 short time. For u sim
liar reduction in Its birth rate France
required seventy years, but we only
twelve. We already have $50, 900
fewer births annually than we should
nave had If the rate Of the year 1900
had been maintained. This means
mat our population today should be
100000 greater than It is; and the
total should be nearly 1000. 900
instead Of 6S.O00,OOO. That is an
advantage which. in view OF the great
losses In this war, cannot be too
mighty valued. II has been said in
deed, that we need not be greatlv
concerned, inasmuch as we have nm
extraordinarily favorable mortality
rate; and 1t is true that our death
rate has been greatly reduced within
thirty years. thanks TO our gratifying
economic development. our improved
mann er OF living, and especially our
splendid sanitary measures. Thirty
years ago the death rate was twenty
SIX TO 1000 Of the population. To-
day 1t is only ourteen-wbicb
means that there die today ZOO O00
iewer persons annually than wouId
die II we still had the death rate of
1886. "'' Vi
slav Neighbor Menace.
But we must face the regrettable
fact that while the death rate has
further diminished during the last
thirteen or fourteen years. the birth
rate has fallen still more RAPIDLY
The death rate has decreased "a
out the birth rate has fallen ~ or
seVenty-hve per cent more RAPIDLY
than the mortality figure"
irrespective of what the outcop,e
OF the war may be. Germans see in
their great Slav neighbor a menace
winch not even victory will remove,
Tor Russia, with a population about
twice that of Germany, has a yearly
excess OF births over deaths of more
IMAM seventeen per cent, against
slghtly more than twelve per cent
for Germany. 'e' ee"'
Russia still has a death rate or
tWenty-seven per cent. Germapv,s
death rate has been reduced from
26.S per cent in the sixties IN ~
per cent. but the latter figure is
nearly as low as it can be brongbt
German sociologists realize that Tho
RUSSIAN death rate Is bound to he
reduced rapidly. They point to the
anti-alcohol regulations and the
better system of grain distribution
as two factors which are bound tn
make themselves felt shortly and
as showing the possibility of progress
along other sociological lines. thev
point out that the number of iIIiter-
ates In the Russian army sank from
6O'4 In 1903 to 1851 per cent in 1911
Another factor Is the possibiIitv
that the emigration from Rnssio
which was very large before the war,
may 10 great extent stop after the
war. Germany's emigration has been
OF negligible proportion for more
than decade.
sun another consideration Is dis
cussed In an article in a current
magazine, under the title "Tbe
wars influence on the Will to Pro-
pagate". The author says:
Refuses to Bear.
Several month ago | heard for
the first time from the lips OF a work
ing woman the statement that mo
mother could longer accept with clear
conscience the responsibility OF bear
ing children. Better no child than