Evening star., 1918-07-28

time Of peace.
European countries have
already recognized the fact: but America
Is just realizing that she must rear a
generation of sturdy men and women
SO that when the war is over and the
depleted ranks come marching home
the gaps can be filled with healthy,
rosy checked youngsters with bright
eyes and alert minds ready to help
shoulder the burdens at home and as
sist in the rehabilitation of the de-
vastated countries of her allies.
During the first year of the war
when Ensiand's death toll was SO
heavy. she came to realization of
the fact that something must be dcne
to safeguard the health of the moth
ers and young children of the British
Isles.
She began an active campaign which
for the second year of the war brought
the infant death rate down to 81
deaths for every 1000 births; this was
a. point lower than had eyer before
been recorded in that country. and
was several points lower than the
average even in time of peace for the
part of the United States for which
figures are available.
An English monthly. the School
Child and Juvenile Worker. summed
up the situation two years ago in
England with an appeal that had its
effect: The years Of man are three
score and ten, but the value of all
these years. either to the man himself
or to the community. depends on the
use made of the few precious years of
youth. When the farmers clam
ored for boys and girls at the out
break of the war 1t was for a few
weeks only. and to save the harvest.
The few weeks have spread out to
few years. and a few years cover all
the years of the brief and precious
period ''twixt boy and man. when
character is nodded. education COM
p1eted. skill of hand and eye and in
teliect acquired
A third OF the men examined for
military service in the first draft in
the United States were found to have
physical defects which rendered them
unfit. 1t is stated by those of expert
ence in matters pertaining to the
health Of children that many Of these
defects might have been overcome II
they had been recognized and dealt
with in early childhood.
Since the inauguration on April
of the "Chfldren's Year Campaign"
for the weighing Of 100000 babies. it
has been discovered that large num-
ber of children are undernourished:
that thousands of children of school
age begin the day poorly or made
Iuately fed and that thousands OF
others are suffering from improper
food.
. To prepare these children for the
tasks that must surely come to them
IN the next decade. the rising genera
ZION must have plenty of good. whofe-
some food. sunshine, fresh air ana
such recreation as will keep them not
only in health and bodily strength
nut their brains clear and normal. In
other words a generation of young
Spartans adapted to the progress OF
rhe twentieth century will be needed
in tho reconstruction days to come.
Good. nutritious. wartime food
must be selected for this purpose.
from the home table and children
taught to eat the simple, nourishing
food of which there is an abundance
at This time.
Thousands of mothers since the war.
owing to the advanced prices of FOOD
and sincerely patriotic desire to
conserve wherever possible in filing
the family market basket, have un-
Willingly taken from the daily diet
OF young and growing children arti-
'cies of food which the food admins
tration had asked to be conserved
Or the fighting forces abroad, and
have not in their place substituted an
article of equal value in nutriment
md one easily prccurabie for home
assumption.
Over year ago the United States
department of Agriculture, evidently
appreciated the problems confronting
:, he housewives and began issuing
cries of bulletins on food for young
c;liid.cn, children of school age and
how TO select foods.
. 1t is explained by the department
that there is no attempt to make def
i:te suggestions for obtaining food at
!ow cost or to recommend any special
pods or combinations of foods! The
cbjsct of tbs educational movement is
10 tell simply what the body needs to
obtain from it's food for building it's
'ssues, keeping it in good working
order, and providing it with fuel or
energy for it's muscular work.
of these bulletins show in a
general way how the different food
materials meet these needs and group
them according to their uses in the
body. The suggestion is made thae
by utilizing these groups and having
them all suitably represented in the
daily diet, the housekeeper can easily
plan attractive meals which meet the
needs of her family without waste OF
money or material
: In the average family OF small
means 1t is sometimes very difficult TO
provide separate menus for the young
children, and too often the working
members of the family are consulted
only as to the market basket. AS a
consenuoDce the hildyen suffer.