Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1922-10-05

I~\N-J DC as interesting III any olIeI country
where the conditions surrounding child
life were they here. France is trying to save
the babies and American women with the help of
women of some other countries pioneering
along the way of salvation.
Once upon a time an English novelist now too
little read wrote book called "Put Yourself in
His Place" There a character in the book,
DIR. AmbOyne, who forever putting himself in
the other fellows place so that he might get
proper and unsefish viewpoint. SO when one
comes to France he must put himself in the
frenchman'S place, and judge things "human-like"
am framing this letter in the heart of the devas-
taed region. | am sitting the doorstep Of
wooden barracks in which there are 20 young
en- members of an American committee, known fire.
Quenty the Anne Morgan committee. All of
these girls are trying to do something to help not
only the stricken peasants of this land, but with
foresight attempting to help the future genera
tons
ON the other side of the barracks are the ruins
of once fine chateau. Scattered over reaching
plains are the sites of once prosperous villages.
On the right look at the fire and shellblasted re-
mains of noble forest whose underground mazes
must not be tr0d today lest YOU kick the
plunger of an uneXploded shell or the trigger of
a hand grenade and thus secure passport to a
country from which you can't get back The set
ting of this scene is an inspiration for work. The
girls work hard. we
Before leaving the United States read stories
of a decreasing birth rate in France. l took the
reports to mean literally what they said The
other day in the chamber of deputies member
rose to speak Of certain existing conditions trying
to the soul of Frenchmen, uad closed his speech
with these humanity tragic words: and in the
meantime France is being depopulated."
Such words as these start to thinking and
urge him to an attempt to find out the truth
Hence in part the visit to Anizye-C Chateau, which
Is of the CenerS Of the activities of the Amer
lean committee of which Mrs. A. NJ Dixie is the
president and Miss Anne Morgan the vice-presdent
Everybody knows how women in America work
to save babies to instruct mothers and to send
good books circulating through what generally
may be called the threading communities First
for the babies, On the steamer coming from Amer
lea | asked French woman if it were true that
France had such low birth rate that in time the
country would become depopulated. Her answer
was: THE birth rate is high enough to keep the
population Of France stationary at least The
trouble is that the children die because of the alb
Sence Of certain safeguarding means and because
of the reluctance of some of the mothers to ADOPT
new methods
Later l asked one of the leaders in the work
which the American committee is doing about this
matter She said: "If the lives of the children
can be saved France has babies enough to keep its
population growing Public health service of the
right kind is what is needed. The death rate
among the children can be decreased greatly and
the season of fear be made to pass
Laon, or part Of it, stands on mighty hill in
the heart Of the embatled territory of France, but
the American committee there reduced the yearly
death rate among the children from IS in the thou
sand to 81 In the thousand. This proves something
and one does not need further demonstration be-
cause LaOn Is typical.