Connecticut western news., 1918-02-14

which she is peculiarly fitted, IS the
care and protection of the Nations
children, according to Miss Caroline
Ruutz-Rees, chairman of the com
mittee on woman's activities of the
Connecticut Council of Defense and
head mistress of Rosemary Hall. Miss
Ruutz-Rees said:
"Why must our Nation conserve its
children? That is a question which in
spires in most women the same sort of
EN- barrassment that geometrical prob
lens cause in minds without aptitude
for distractions. Why attempt to prove
what any one can see? What reasons
can one find for what any one would
take for granted?
"By instinct we women feel that
children's welfare has profound i'm
portance: by instinct We not only care
for our own, but are uneasy that chill
dren should be i'll cared for anywhere
without our ken. And this instinct has
been fostered into sentiment and con
viction by all sorts of movements in
which women have taken an active
part and lively interest, such as the
kindergarten and Montessori move
ments, the movement for free school
lunches, for day nurseries,, for Home
or for placement in truer homes, and
80 on.
"The recent establishm emit of the
Ohildren's Bureau was proof that the
welfare of children was, even before
the war, in the category Of things wor
thy OF political consideration. It had
become evident even then that, if the
nation was to be built up, physically
and morally, it's children must be
cared for; but what then gave anxiety
to the thoughtful student of social con-
ditions Is now problem forced upon
the attention of every intelligent citi-
zen.
"All the belligerents in this great
war are faced with the question of re-
population. They have dangerously
lowered their resources because they
have had to draw off from the popula
ton its best and noblest youth.
"The nation that takes the lead in
the future will be the nation with the
most vigorous young generation COM
ing up to replace the present genera.
ton, SO narrowed and broken and ra-
Wished of it's best. ..
"The Germans feel this, and are
already taking means to strengthen
their numbers-means characteristic
cally thorough, Enthusiastically lack
ing in fine feeling Quite early, when
it became evident that the population
question would be instant, German
women began to protest that woman's
dignity and right to her own person
must be respected. They knew we'll
what they had to be afraid of And
now we learn tnat they were justifi-
ably on their guard. The papers tell us
that the German government is en-
couarglng Lateral marriages., urging
married couples to obtain the consent
Of their partners to contract temporary
unions with others, unions which are
to come to an end when children have
been born. Women are especially ex-
horted to do this, those in particular,
one supposes, whose husbands are in
the trenches. And who has not been
Mortified to learn of the carrying off of
children born of German fathers in the
occupied territories? And again, of the
carrying away of French children, of
girls and of women? This has not been
Mortified to learn of the carrying off of
children born of German fathers in the
occupied territories? And again, OF the
carrying away Of French children, of
girls and OF women? This has not been
pnrely wanton cruelty: it has been part
of deliberate policy, the same policy
which made Bismark encourage easy
legitimatizing of children. What
would become of my armies?' he is said
to have exclaimed in reply to the advo
Gates Of a stricter morality. Well EGG
land and France also have their popu
lation problem, and we in turn shall
have ours.
"Our coming generation must be nu
merically suffice 1T; it must be as ply
sically perfect as we can make 1t, i
must be educated. trained and disci
plined to the best of Our ability ant
it's capacity; it must be educated
trained and disciplined to the best o
our ability and it's capacity; it must b
capable of bringing into the worit
strong, healthy, numerous progeny
How to bring this about will tax tn
best efforts of our statesmen.
mo doubt the government will tax
measures to meet the situation; bu
all patriotic women will have to helL
because in this matter they best of al
cac. They must help to guide publ
opinion; they must III Ike it their affaj
that in their respective localities tn
school attendance Ia VS. are strictl
obeyed, the child labor laws nowhe1
evaded; they must complain as matte
of conscience to the proper authoritit
of transgressors in these respects the
must do what they cau to bring abor
or to maintain good con 1itions in inst
tutions for children: tney must pre-
for, and lend support to milk station