The Waterbury Democrat., 1934-01-18
Rome Letter

Rome (UP)--Prizes for babies | and newlyweds, and cash for ! mothers of large families are new provisions of the Fascist govern
 ment for the encouragement of
 the birth-rate and the protection of children and child life. This year the Day of the Mother and Child" was instituted by Mussolini, and on this occasion. 12,20O money prizes were given to newly married couples, and $500 natality prizes, that Is, money prlz- es to parents with large families. In addition to the foregoing prizes which involved individual sums ranging from 1 to 500 lire there were distributed by the Fascist government 5000 prizes for healthy upbringing of children and hygienic homes. Besides this, an uted at Christmas for reasons con- nected with collaborating and rearing children.
 The Institute for Workmen's Homes, a semi-state organ which provides clean and healthy homes in modern buildings for workers, was able to reduce the rents of numerous working class families which had deserved well of the state by having large and healthy families. Local relief organizations also provided food and clothing to some thousands of poor working class families during the Christ mas holidays.
 Fighting Child Mortality It is during the early years of childhood, that is, the first and second dangerous years, that the Fascist campaign against unncc- so successful.
 Between 1926 and 1881, the per- centage of infant mortality has
 diminished in the following meas ure:
 During first year of life, from 52 to 38 per 1000; during the second year of life, from 21 to 1S per 1000; during the third year, from II to per 1000, and during the fourth year, from to per | 1000.
 The figures for 1892 and 1888
 are not yet available in definite
 form, but it is known that the per-
 centage of infant deaths has de- | creased still further as a tribute
 to the elaborate campaign for car- | ing for children, undertaken by
 the government. Since about one
 million children are born in Italy
 every year, the saving of child life to the nation runs into the tens of thousands a year. It is especially the children of
 workmen, poor peasants and the orphans abandoned in the orphan
 ages, which the state seeks to de- | fend through the proper organi-
 cations, such as the Maternity and Infancy Institute, as well as by
 special legislation favoring the child bearing mother.
 Reduce stilI-Births In Milan, in 1881, there were 80
 cases of still-born children among working class families, while in 1892 the number was reduced to IA cases. The law which obliges an expectant mother to leave the factory where she ig employed, one month before the expected date of the birth of her child has produced excellent results from the child saving point of view.
 The returns from the orphan. laRes and sanatoriums arc also el' 0quent of better methods. Until lnbout seven years ago, the doath. Irate of abandoned children In the
 Orphnnages was 4i per 100. That lis practically one child died foi
 every child that was kept alive
 In Milan, perhaps the most mod
 Orn and progressive nlty or ltaly where there are excellent orphaD' lagos, the death.rate Of the or. lpInlna in 1920 was as high ag st IpHr 100, during the first year ol libo Ghildren's lives, In ib32, thf figure hnB nbrunk t0 per 100 In small country orphanngea li line less progressive pnFiA 0f lihly lsOma years ago the daaihsrhte f0l lOrphan children during inc lrsl Iyear 0f llfa was as hieh sometimes Ias bb per too.