The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1920-01-16
Condition More Vital Than An
other War-0r Than
Ten Others.
YELLOW SPECTER IS SEEN
United States Looked To as Savior,
With National Decay as Wars Aft
ermath-MiddIe Glass Most
Affected-Babies Fewer
in Germany.


London.-"Well, it's not my funeral"
said the sprucely dressed young Eng
| lishman with collar of pre-war glossi-
ness, reading out the following para
graph in the corner of london club ::
''The birth rate per 1000 persons
living in England and Wales in 1918
was III, as compared with BAL per
1000 in the ten years 1S51-60. The
rate in Cheshire is only 1919 per LOCO
and that in London 1871. The end of
the war shows no check in what is
really national suicide.
"It's not nay funeral" he repeated.
But it was.
1t was not only his funeral, but per-
haps the funeral of a race. "D-n
posterity" said the Irishman. what
has posterity ever done for me?" The
European is saying the same.
This is no scare 1t is fact. 1t is
more vital than another European
| war-or than ten others. 1T is more
mortal than the influenza. 1t is more
dangerous than an anarchist bomb in
every street. For Europe, it is the
only thing that matters.
1t is very old world.
Here in London at election time we
run two giant ladders side by side up
the face of one of our tallest buildings.
AS the results come in, the figures on
the ladders, representing the Liberal
and tory parties, race each other up
the. building. Rearing their height
over Europe's weary, war worn
masses, two ladders are seen today.
On one is the figure of death. On the
other, the figure of little rosy child.
death racing against life. And death
Is winning.
"The End of the Race"
"The End Of the Race" current
cartoon, shows Europe's last baby in
the year 2,0OO A halo is shown about
it's wizened head Its bones show
through it's tortured skin. 1t is sur
rounded by adoring millions of aged
Europeans Of both sexes, the last OF
their race. 1t Is only cartoon.
But?
In the death that comes in the roar
of a gun and the crash of shell we
have forgotten the death Of the great
silence.
Twenty years ago France used to be
held up as Europe's horrible exam
ple-France, the country where,
after America, the baby was king.
There are those who say today that
the war has completed what the
French nation began. There are.
skilled sociologists who believe that
France, once the glory of the old
world, is dying dying because she re-
fuses to live. Patriotism and pride
keep closed the mouths of her great
men. But Is not today's Europe a
greater France?
Except in this one thing figures can
be made to prove anything. But the
mathematics of birth and death are
memorable. There is no room for
doubt.
Europe, to use a pungent American
ism, is "on the toboggan." There are
omens as portentous and inevitable
as that sinking feeling before sea-
sickness. Bonuses for babies" is Eu-
| ropes. Here in England we have
already raised that S. o. S. France
tried it and failed. Will Europe?
The above applies to all classes, but
to the middle class it comes with fate
| full intensity.
Middle Glass Most Affected.
While, with better conditions, fall
| ing death rate among the working
| classes has during the last 80 years
to some extent compensated for fall
| ing birth rate, the accentuated fall OF
the middle class birth rate has no fall
| ing death rate Of any kind to compen-