American Fork citizen. [volume] (American Fork, Utah) 1912-1979, 1920-01-31

thoughts turn to the dead who, while
they did not die In the war, died be-
cause OF the war. Those who went out
I'm battle left life In burst Of glory.
Others there were who fell In their
tracks-exhaustlon, broken hearts sent
them "west." She has not forgotten
how the home flank suffered. The stay
at.homes were not all slackers. They
fought hunger and cold. bent their
backs beyond the straining point.
Worst OF all. they waited. II Is estl-
mated that 20O00,O00 civilians died
from weakness, fatigue strain. broken
hearts--the horror OF waiting de-
stroyed resistance. These we're the
underfed older men and women, the
scared, undernourlshed children. IL
there any wonder that Europe, has n
death look In her cyesP Death mas
been her morning thought, II has been
her night sob, and for four years made
up Of months, weeks, days hours
minutes and seconds death has been
her Nemesis.
She Is now totallng. The figures are
appalling. They stnggcr her imnglnn-
uon. II Is easy to write them, I'm
possible 10 understand their full mean
ing. The mind can't grasp 1t; the
world Is bewIldered by the number. II
Is too stupendous, too horrible for I'M
Outstanding. Think Of It, seven and n
half million young men, for the most
part between the ages OF eighteen ana
thirty. the youth, the strength, the
spirit, the man power OF Europe, dead
twenty million from civil life dead,
over twelve and u half million wound
ed
who can measure this lossp
War brought death. II did more
II stopped birth. In the devastated re-
glons OF Belgium. France, Italy, 20
land parts OF Russia and the Balkan
countries, the birth rate fell to al
most nothing. In England and wales
the birth rate In the last part OF 1913
was 1915, the lowest on record. Nal
lett calculated that the birth rate had
fallen IL per cent in England ana
Wales by 1916.
The Journal of Heredity quotes Saw
orgnnn as having estimated that II VIII
take England at least ten years, Ger
many II years. Italy 3S years and
France 80 years TO recupernte their
populations. These calculations by
Savorgnan were made before the fear
full losses OF the campaign OF 1918.
A village In France, Blerancourt,
tells what the war has done to the man
power of Europe. This village. which
Is In the Chateau Thierry Scissors dis
trlct, had population OF thousand
people before the war. Its losses have
been tabulated. Twenty-slx soldiers
from this village were killed In the
war. Ninety-seven of the villagers
died from war prlvntlons. The total
of 100 Is the death toll of a village
OF thousand.
The figures I have quoted from the
calculations Of Savorgnan and Maliett
were made before the war was finished
Since the war. estimates have beer
made, and these estimates show the
situation to be even worse. In France
was told that 81 per cent OF the mer
between twenty and forty years were
listed as dead or incapacitated fol
work. Further. that 1t would take
France over 20 years to recover hel
normal population.
II IL said that II will take Italy 81
years and England 20 years TO regain
normallty Of population.
The human waste of the war Is mor'
thsn sud memories. The loss OF maj
power makes grave problem. II ha
thrown out OF balance the domesti
scheme of the world. II will be fel
for years. There are great man,
more young women than men. HON
life Is bound 10 suffer. There will b
fewer marriages, fewer children. Sta
tlstIcs only tell part of the story.
Il