The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-05-14

economy if we do not keep cash ae- counts. When l was first interested in this subject only one-third of the population of the United States kept records of death. and even today only two-thirds keep such records. Only in the last year have we had any reg istration of births that is satisfactorily of value and usable by the United States census; whereas in England, as in aii the great nations of Europe, births, marriages, and deaths are uni yersally recorded to a high degree of accuracy.
 When we seek for the death rates. birth rates and marriage rates we are startled to find that they are im- perfect for the United States and have to be pieeed together by more or less guesswork. The fact that so few people realize that this defi- cieney exists Is a commentary on our low health ideals. l have sometimes wondered what might have happened if this fact were so well known that slaekers between the ages of 21 and 31, wishing to get out of the draft, had stoutly denied that they were within the draft age, What would the gov ernment have done about it? How could the government prove the age when there are no records2
 This question of vital statistics can not be too strongly stressed. The practical value of this branch of economy is so obvious that it should not longer need discussion.
 # < :.
 Professor Corbett tells in one of hls illuminating articles how the hapless "all-comer was backed up against the back-drop and floored by a padded club when the champion found diffieulty in laying him out. That explains why the pugilistic volunteer got anything but a headache for his pains.
 + # a.
 If the shade of King George " was aware # what was going on in London the other day, it must have given him curious feeling to see George Windsor saIuting the Stars and Stripes and Lon- don crowds going wild over 5000 Ameri- can soldiers.
 e
 Why propose America as the na- tional anthem, now that We have learned to stand up when ''The Star-Spangled Banner IS played and few of us have actually memorized two stanzas?
 < < *
 A carload of beer was seized at Tyoee Island, q seashore resort near savannah. Thirsty mortals at Tybee can tell yot what the sad sea waves are saying.
 ,. # #
 .Blue laws were enforced in Birming- ham last Sunday. Buy your Sunday supply of smokes and soda water on Sat urday night. They'll both keep.
 i. # #
 There are all kinds of profiteering these days. We question the motives of tn. restaurant proprietors who are serving two-story strawberry shortcake.
 # s. < of the German people that Germany started this war, they will be expected to start something themselves.
 # # #
 The high cost of living in Washing or is sending officeseekers home. The op- timists are right There's bright side to everything.
 Must make the Kaiser extremely tlree to hear the allies say they can afford te wait for the American army to "ge it's growth"
 A Prussian anthropologist says Napo leon was a German. Couldn't have been He wasn't thlck-headed enough TOT that # <. 4, While there is nothing in name, Mi has the kind of name you would expec to meet with in a warm controversy # * # | If those American soldiers in Londor succeeded in making Queen Mary un. ! bend they did enough for one day. x # 4. The Russians are beginning to suspect the Germans. Unfortunately, they didni 1 begin to suspect soon enough. * * T Women wearing overalls are gettine to be T common sight Have you seen one smoking a pipe yet? # # x A correspondent says Borgum doesn't look like sculptor. We'll, does he loos l like an aviation expert? |