The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1917-11-23
HOW WAR SAPS
GERMAN VITALITY
Socialist Organ Sounds Grave
Alarm Regarding Some Life
Conditions.
BLOCKADE HURTS HEALTH
Marriages and Births Grow Fewer,
While Deaths Increase in Num-
ber-Food Shortage Influences
Infant Mortality.

AmSterdam.-HOW the war is sap
ping the vital strength of the German
nation, not only on the field of battle,
but at home, is told in an Illuminating
article in the Chemnitzer ~Volkskinne,
a prominent German socialist organ, a
copy of which has just reached here.
The paper, citing facts and figures,
sounds a grave alarm and warns the
government that certain concessions
to the POOR, premiums on babies or in
surance schemes" will not suffice if
the nation is to survive.
The article follows:
Since 1915 the number of deaths in
Germany has exceeded that of birth.
The decrease in the birth rate since
1913 is considerable.
In 1914 this decrease was 1880; in
1919 the $4,000 mark, or % per cent;
in 1916 it was 725, 800, or 40 per cent.
This decrease in the birth rate has
consequences even more far reaching
than the loss of life on the numerous
battlefields. The effect is partially
counter-balanced by the fact that the
mortality of infants has considerably
decreased. The year 1914 marked a
rise in the death rate of infants,
amounting to 10000; but in 1915 there
was a decrease of 81, 900, and in 1916
one of 10000 or 40 per cent.
Marriages Are Decreasing.
These last figures throw a clear but
sad light Upon the social consequences
of the war. The fall in the birth rate
is se1f-explanatory. Many who in nor
NAL times would have been happy to
have children are restricted by the
circumstances of wartime from enlarg-
ing their families. Besides the war has
considerably reduced the number of
marriages, and it is a well-known fact
that young people contribute to re-
population more than others.
During the first month of the war
marriages were very numerous; there
is a tendency to believe that since that
time marriages have not ceased to be
more numerous than in peace times. In
August of 1914, there were in the cities
of Prussia three times as many mar
riages as in the month of July OF the
same year; but there this increase
stopped. AS the war dragged on, with
its long campaigns, marriages became
fewer and fewer.
In the whole empire the initial album
dance of marriages was followed by a
sharp diminution, which continues to
this day. We have not yet at hand the
figures for the whole of the empire, but
we know that in Saxony there were
26,3OO marriages in 1915, as against
10000 in 1913.
In Hamburg the corresponding de-
crease amounted to 1900; in Berlin to
5000, and in Bremen to 1000.
Birth Rate Cut Seriously.
Since it may be assumed that the av-
erage young couple has one child at
the end of the first year it is seen that
this diminution Of marriages leaves a
serious cut in the birth rate.
The food shortage naturally infu-
ences infant mortality. Looking sim
ply at the figures, one is tempted to re-
joice over the decrease in this NOR
LdIily, Jul Wlcu OuC (OhoiOClo IL IL
connection with the situation on the
whole it presents a gloomy picture.
The decrease in the birth rate is
based upon peace-time figures. 1t in
cludes children who should have been
born, but who, had they come to life
during the war, would have been most
exposed to premature death. But there
Is a much smaller number of illegiti-
mate children, and 1t is especially the
poor people who are abstaining from
charging their families.
The infant mortality, therefore,
should have fallen off In a much great
err proportion than the birth rate. Now,
this is not the case; the fall In the
rate exceeds even by l per cent
the death rate Of children Of tender
age.
These figures show us that the war
itself felt not only on the field
of battle, but that 1t reaches out to