The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1917-06-09


fantastic dream of ,Germany's enc
miles,, but is a disquieting possibility
of the future, which German scien-
lists have been ordered by the gov
ernment. to investigate.
During 1915, German births fell by
20 per cent below the record for
1914, the year the war began, and
according to figures which have just
succeeded in passing the German
censor, the decline in 1916 was about
40 per cent under the 1914 figures.
The same steady fall in births, at
the rate of 20 per cent additional
per, cent at the end Of 1919, with the
from Germany. ~. -.. .s-~
It is not certain, as a matter of
absolute fact, whether this blight up
on future German humanity would be
wholly complete, for German statis-
tics refer not to small country vii
lagos, but to cities of $4,000 or over.
Rate Falls OF
It is possible the birthrate has not
fallen so extensively in the agricul-
tural DISTRICTS but if not, this Is
due to large excess Of illegitimate
births. Russian prisoners of war are
being extensively used to supply the
wars deficit of agricultural laborers
in Germany, and these are understood
to have usurped the places OF hus-
bands of German peasant women, who
In many cases actually assisted in the
capture Of the Russians.
The German governing class
realizes there Is no future for
Germany ii it has to depend for
its coming man power upon such
=, unions as these. Ways must be
devised to keep the cities we'll
supplied with lusty youngsters II
Germany is to play even u sec .
ondary part in the world.
Germany has lost 100000 in dead
since the beginning of the war, and
500 900 in man. so badly injured as
to he useless for serious work when
the war ends. About 100000 German
youths reach military age yearly.
Decline by 20 per cent Of German
births in 1915, means that 20 years
thereafter, there will be only $4,000
Germans of military age; and decline
of 40 per cent of births in 1916, means
that in 1885 no more than 4S0 900 Ger
mans will be ready for the army.
To the 100000 Germans killed for
permanently injured since the be-
ginning of the war, must be added
4SO 900 potential soldiers, who dis
appeared from the future army rolls
in 1915 and 1916 through NOT HAV-
ING BEEN BORN. Militarism can
not exist without manpower; and
there can be no adequate manpower
for Germany with births declining
in anything like the present proper
ton.
The birth decline, In fact, Is the
third great movement working to
overthrow the Prussian nlilitarist
rulers-the two others being the
growth OF democracy within Ger.
many, and pressure Of the allied
armies outside.
German sociologists and govern
mental professors are holding confer
enGes throughout the empire, trying
| To devise ways of restoring normal
number of births--but, to the present
without success.
The government is ready to Offer
financial rewards to parents of large
families, but German scientists are
not convinced this is the way to meet
the problem.
| To encourage large families among
the few who are willing to undertake
the necessary sacrifice and response
bility is far less important than tC
persuade the great middle class fam
| lilies of Germany to do their share
toward keeping Germany populated by
contributing two or three children
each.
The Germans are not willing to dc
this under present conditions of liv'
ing. Since the Franco-Prussian war
there has been a fall, decade by dec.
ade, in the German birthrate. The
increase in German population has
i been due, during that period, to re-
duction in the death rate, which the
government has accomplished by n.y.
| gienic improvements and better living
conditions. But the present fall iI
the birth rate is accompanied by the
greatest increase in the death rate
due to the war, that the world has
ever known.
When the soldiers return home
from the trenches, there will be an
| Improvement in the birth rate; but
the call now is for EVER MORE MEN
FOR THE FRONT. Every German
who is now killed means his elimln'
alton from the total of future Ger
man fathers-and fathers are Ger
many's most pressing demand OF the
future.
THE ONLY REAL SOLUTION FOR
GERMANY IS TO END THE WAR
so THE FATHERS OF THE Flu.
TURE CAN RETURN HOME.
Ii the war goes much longer,
piling up ever increasing future
poverty for Germans, there can
be no satisfactory solution even
after peace is declared. For, not
only will an increasing number
of potential fathers have been
killed, but those who survive will
be reluctant to assume parental
cares with taxes SO high and llv.
| ing conditions 50 unsatisfactory.
If the birthrate scientists report
truthfully to the kaiser, they will say
quick peace gives Germany her only
chance of meeting this new enemy at
home.