The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1917-03-07
GERMANY LAYS PLANS
FOR RE-POPULATION
May Offer Money Premiums for Moth
ers with Large Families--'Vice
and Disease Laws.

Correspondence Of The Associated
Press.)
LONDON, Feb l7.--How TO solve
the problem Of repopulating Germany
after the war, probably win be one
Of the big issues under discussion by
the Rcichstag this month.
During it, final regular session in
1916 il appointed q large committee
81 - members 10 look into the matter
during the recess, and a small com.
mitter Of this large committee has been
industriously going over the field, with
the assistance aud cooperation Of the
ministry of the interior. the large and
powerful though unofficial Association
for Repopulation Policy and other
similar organizations.
First among the concrete plans for
increasing the population comes OF
course he tack Of decreasing the death
rate which naturally can proceed ef.
fectiyely only when peace time condi
tions prevail again.
The more complex problem lies in
increasing the birth rate. Interest in
the question has increased IL such an
extent that all manner of radical pro.
posals have had 20 he weighed aud
studied. and viii al come ~ for de-
cision by the RcichStag itself
The more conservative Of the pro
posals include economic steps that will
make earlier marriage possible, higher
wages, regulation Of vice and the limi
tati0n of disease, making marriage
easier, protection in greater degree fol
mothers and children.
The more radical proposals, many OF
which probably will not az once be
adopted hut some of which NAV. in
cludc bachelor taxes, reorganization
of existing vice laws which shall per
haps b,ing yicr moro and more unde,
official control and thereby rob il ot
aome OF the dangers arising from Sc
crccy, plural voting rights for mel
with large families, money premium'
for mothers bearing many children.
Higher wages and shorter appren
ticcships enabling working men {,
achieve independence AT an earlier age
as well as shorter courses of education
for professional men, 50 that they ma,
be able 10 marry before they are il
the late twcntiCs or tho early thirtie
rs Mt present, are means Of increasing
tho birth rate that have been uude
discussion for long time, and that ar,
becoming increasingly popular as tn
Importance Of the entire problem be
comes more and more Appreciated
Particularly since the war there ha
grown up o strong current in publi
opinion which favor vice and diseas
laws that a few years ago would hav
been denounced instantly as too radi
eel. and that even today find decide,
opposition in some quarters. How ia
the Reichstag will be able or wilin
70 80 is vet problematical, but it seem
certain that some steps will be taker
Already, however, bills are pendin
which release physicians from thei
professional secrecy il they, in tn
public interest, make known to tn
authorities the names of patients SUIT
fcriug from dangerous diseases. an
which provide for better trainin
along certain lines for all physician,
still another resolution which may 50
come q law creates public health d,
partmcrt for the exclusive care an
treatment OF sexual diseases, and thcT
are in addition numerous resolution
pending for the creation of insuranc
bureaus for the sick, the enrollmen
Of the interest of life insurance cor
pnnies. md the maintenance of exaC
statistics.