The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-12-17

l&LC lS oO blE1lI bllelt Ot increase marriage. Louis XIV and Napoleon both granted special advan- tages to parents having more than two children.
 Why a Taxi Driver Doesn't Want
 Children
 One of the great causes for the lack of babies in France today is the thrift of the people Many feel too poor to marry, and some who are married do not want children on ac- count of the high cost of living. Yes terday, l talked with my taxi driver about existing conditions. He was bitter as to his earnings and the un- equal division of wealth. Said he:
 When l got married l told my wife We would never have any children l was one of family of eight in north France. My father was poor, and my youth was all kicks and blows, with little to eat. 1 ran away from home; and now-well, here I am, driving taxi. It's not much of a life. It is so uncertain. I earn about 900 francs a month, but that is hardly enough for myself and my wife. Anyway. l am not going to run the risk of making a little child suffer as I did when l was kid and there are lot of us who feel the same way. Look at those men work ing in that ditch over there. They earn 20 francs fs2) a-day. How can they support family on that? It is up to the rich to have the large fam iies now We poor cannot afford it. and, anyway. We know what the life of poor child is like"
 Speaking of the rich and the poor reminds me .of French beggar- . i q 4 who applied for aid to a pompous Paris philanthropist on the ground that he had a large family of yoyng children. The sanctimonipus rich man replied.
 ''The Lord never sends mouths but that he sends bread to fill them
 That is true" answered the beg gar. "but He has sent the mouths to iny house and the bread to yours
 French Brides Must Have Dots
 Another factor in the baby crop is the custom of giving a dot or dowry to ones daughter when she is mar ried. This is so much expected tha t a girl who has no dowry has diffi- eulty in getting a husband. The French draw a fine distinction be- tween love and marriage. Most of them regard love more or less as a
  a social necessity. One should love his wife, or her husband, but the hap piness of the children and parents will be more certain if it is based upon certain rules of business and conduct. Love is a passion which may go s 1t came. but marriage must endure and it should have enough to support it. For this reason a French marriage depends largely upon the consent of the family. If man is an orphan he must get the permis- si1n' of his grandparents in order to marry. They will look into the social and financial condition of the girl. and the parental relatives of both parties will arrange the transaction Indeed. such consent is absolutely necessary up to the age of five and twenty. No man can marry until he is l7 years of age. but girls may marry when they have reached the age of 15 or 16. It is uncommon for a young man to get married until he has completed his term in the army.
 Laws That Keep Ont the storIS
 The French laws of inheritance form another obstruction to the flight of the stork in bringing new -all children, boys and girls alike, must have equal sshares of their parents estate The daughters often set their portions when they are married in the shape of a dot, and the rest of the children theirs at the death of the parents The greatest part of the land Of France is in Very small holdings and such equaI q sion makes fha matches and