The Washington herald., 1921-09-27
WAR ROBBED FRANCE
OF SIXTH OF ITS WORKERS.

Due to the effect Of the war on
the birth and death rate OF France.
that country fifteen years from now
will lack about 1000. 900 male work
ers of Is TO IS years OF age, or
about one-sixth Of the working
population, NJ. Lucien March, treas
urer Of La Societe Francaise d'Eu-
geniaue, told the Second Interna-
tional Congress of Eugenics in New
York on Saturday.
"As a result Of the war. the
France Of 1914 has lost 100000 OF
her inhabitants in the prime Of life,
most Of them At for producing chill
dren," he said. Also among the
survivors of the fighters Of the great
war. a certain part OF the 100000
total invalids will never be able 10
give birth TO strong healthy chill
dren. either because they are no
longer capable OF marrying, or be-
cause they are affected with tuber-
culosIs or other constitutional mall
aides.
To these direct losses must be
added the loss of births. Before the
war the number Of living births
balanced with a slight excess the
number OF deaths; the annual num-
ber was about 10000. During the
six years from 1914 TO 1919 Inclu-
sive, the deficit reached 100000
births, which ought to have sur
vived normally. and which were lost
owing to the war.
''On the other hand. deaths in the
civil population have been more
numerous than formerly. so that
100000 more deaths are added 70,
the I.4oO.O 900 unborn. and 70 the l.
900. 900 soldiers killed IN war. giving
a total of more than 100000. TAX
: ing into consideration possible repe-
( tiuon and immigration.
"As the preliminary results Of TIE
1891 census Indicate. regained Al
sace-Lorraine can not nearly COM
pensate for this population loss"
Many young men rightly wished
to wait for the end OF the war be-
fore marrying. NJ. March explained.
] This resulted in the large loss OF
I population. but Il also caused a re-
crudescence OF marriage in 1919 and
I 1920. This same phenomenon has
been observed after all wars, and
( IL is easily explained, he said.
But In spite OF this the deficit
is an important fact in our country,
and in Belgium. while the popuia-
tion of Great Britain has Increased
! by 100000 during the same time
he said. That Of GERMANY has
hardly diminished, and IL il has df-
minished at all, we are still iEno-
rant of II. We know that in Prus-
sia the number OF deaths has not
I fallen below the number OF kirtns.
Imagine the state OF the French
/ population in fifteen years. At that
time there will be lacking taking
account of the mortality. 5OO.Oa"
young men Of the ages OF l. To " d.
/ years. a loss which must hy adG Il
to the 100000 men Of i to So
years OF age killed during the whr,
and who would then be 80 to ss
years old, as well as the SOC. .oos
young men OF the same ages wnul
have died In the civil populstI ton in
excess OF the normal mortality. IN
all. about 100000 individuals will
be missing from the male popuia-
ton of Is TO sS years.
In 1898 one-sixth OF those whose
work must furnish the principal
source Of income of the nation will
be lacking. In spite Of the restor-
alton of Aisace-Lorraine, whicn
brings US 100000 adults OF is TO ss
years, but which also demands
workers for its fields and iron
foundries, IL is certain that French
production will be deprived OF an
important part OF fits active forces
and that the economic Iife Of the
country will languish for many
years IL energetic measures are not
taken without delay TO ward OF the
threatening deficit.
Without doubt one might tenn
porsrily make appeal 20 foreign
\ workers. Assimilable populations
/ however. can only furnish a small
part. 1t will be necessary to have
recourse to unassimilable races very
different from ours, and which win,
furnish quickly the undesirable ED
ments.
The deficit OF masculine worke
has caused the more general en-
ployment OF women. But the wome
who work cannot be fruitful moth'
ers. Feminine work will only be q
short-lived mitigation"