The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1932-11-16
CHILDBIRTH
DEATHS RISE
IN CRISIS
Capitalist Figures Ig-
more Relative Rise
In Sickness
MANY MORE SUICIDES
Show Up Statistic
Manipulations
By GRACE BURNHAM.
Labor Research Association


Capitalist politicians and
their press are doing their best
to prove that unemployment
and starvation really prolong
life. They say for example
that 'the nations death rate
continues to fall despite
unemployment and economic
distress"
But careful examination Of the
figures show just the reverse. They
show that industrial deaths have on
ly decreased by 80 percent (from 49,
900 in 1928 to 1900 in 1881 although
half the working force is totally I'M
employed and those left on the job
a-S re0dced, for the most part, to
few days week. They show that
suicides have the highest rate for
the past Is years, and that deaths
of mothers during childbirth (the di-
rect result of unemployment, starva-
ton and worry show the highest
rate ever recorded in September.
These figures are published at the
very time that millions of workers
throughout the country are electing
delegates TO represent them in the
National Hunger March to Washing
ton, which will demand of congress
Unemployment Insurance land $50
cash winter relief to supplement local
relief in order to save the working
class from desperation and slaughter.
Bigger Percentage of Children Die.
Infant deaths have an important
effect on the country's deathrate, as
a whole. The more babies born; the
more die. The fewer babies born;
the fewer die. And working class
mothers gave birth to fewer babies in
1881, because of the depression. They
could not afford babies.
There we're 148,7o6 fewer births in
1881 than in 1923 (not counting
Utah, which has not reported sta
tistics). The year 1881 was crisis
year, whereas 1928 may be taken as
a fairly prosperous" year. And dur
ing 1881, with fewer births, there
were 128,645 infant deaths, whereas
in 1928, with larger humber of
births, there were 1885, 1872 infant
deaths There were 148,706 fewer ba-
bies in 1881 and only 25,S47 fewer
infant deaths in 1881.
The number of abortions and still
births are not included and would
of course be very much higher in
crisis year. again note the fact
that deaths of mothers during child
birth were the highest ever recorded
for September0
Moreover. in spite of the lower
Disease Increases in Crowded Areas.
birth rate and the fewer number Of
workers exposed to industrial acct
dents and diseases because of unem-
Payment in 1881, in the crowded
industrial areas, such as Manhattan,
New York City, there was actually
higher death rate in 1881 than in
1880; 1874 as against 16.
To sum up; deaths from automo-
bile accidents were fewer; (there
were 100000 fewer automobiles in
use) deaths from industrial ACCT
dents were fewer; there were less
than half the working force employ
ed; infant deaths were fewer; (al-
most 10000 fewer infant births in
1881 than in 1929; but the percent
age of deaths in these cases is rela-
lively higher. Suicides and deaths
of mothers at childbirth are on tie
increase; and in the crowded indus
trial centers an actual increase in
the death rate in spite of ire
mendous decrease In exposure to
death with the exception of unem-
ployment, wage cuts and starvation.
Statistics are known to talk on the
side of those interested in manipulate
ing them. 1t is SO easy to leave out
important factors which completely
change the conclusions. This seems
clearly to be the case with the use
of death rates to justify the starva-
ton program of capitalism in the
present crisis.