The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-09-24

Again Wants
More Babies
Child Bearing Decreed
Most Important by
DictatOrs.
BY HELEN WELsHRIER

A CCORDING TO the dictators OF
4 n several European countries
that want TO increase their popu-
lation count. the most important
duty Of women is to bear children
Unless a nation has plenty OF sons
and daughters 70 beget other sons
and daughters, who VIII carry on
likewise ad iuGnitum. the argu-
ment goes. there may come a day
when that country VIII need war
riOrs and cant raise an army large
enough 20 protect her borders.
Logical. Of course. In the interest
Of the divine right Of dictatorship,
there should be a clause IN every
mothers prayer entreating the god
Of battles % send her sons-strong
sons. tan sons brave sonsl Sons
who VIII 90 marching. marching,
marching Of TO war.
On, yes. girls are necessary. too.
They are instrumental in raising
the army's quota.
Change Didn't Last
There was a period. during the
postwar days. when women on the
continent believed they were TO be
elevated 20 a plane which would put
them on parity with men. But
the heaven they enjoyed vas an in
terlude.
Men were weary. For so many
years they had bit 'it' IN the world
tag game. Now they have rested up.
The drums are rolling. the flags are
flying and a woman should realize
that her native costume Is a kitchen
apron Just as truly as a man knows
that his new suit VIII be uniform!
Baby Girls Less Desired
additionally. there is a higher
premium on baby boys than on baby
girls. Young fathers have trumpets
in their voices when they announce
that their first child is a boy. There
is one trumpet less. sometimes, when
the progeny is a girl
Certain heather nations, which
didn't know about war and the i'm
pOrtanCe Of saving daughters so they
could bear sons. had an extravagant
habit Of throwing baby girls into
crocodile infested rivers.
II is seldom that a man expresses
a desire 10 be a woman When he
does persons stare at him in amaze
ment and wonder why he wishes TO
desert his manly state. But women
remark frequently that they wish
that they were men. No one is much
surprised.
Progress Since Cave Days
We may smile in gay independ-
enCe. on our side Of the Atlantic. at
the biological differences which give
women a handicap in the race for
life, love, liberty and the privilege
Of shOuldering arms for their coun-
tries. But we must admit that the
odds are on the men.
No one viii deny that it was prim-
five mans duty to hunt and fish TO
obtain food for his family Like
wise. It was the duty of the ante
deluvian woman to prepare the food,
and see that a cave or cabin was
clean and orderly when a man came
from the forest or stream. II was
mans place TO fight enemies. It was
wOman's to bear children.
Altered by Chivalry
But civilization gave us a gracious
chivalry in which We came to realize
that Child-bearing was only a por-
ton of wOman's work. We learned
that persons are human beings be-
fore they are either men or women.
Then there began the challenge
of emancipation II was a cause
which aimed to give women an OPP
pOrtunity 10 cope with men on an
equality in any field.
The very fact that women had TO
fight for this privilege is mute evil
dcnCe that men, being men. had
been accorded the golden apples.
But now we are reminded again
by the dictatOrS that preparation for
war is the paramount objective Of
some continental peoples. Without
women's help the recruiting offices
would lack sOldier-materiaL
I wonder what would happen If
war could be abolished.
tCcpyrlcht. 1884. NEA Service. Incl