BRITISH BIRTH RATE.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1856, 16 September 1913, Page 8

BRITISH BIRTH RATE.

POODLES INSTEAD OF BABIES.

Mr. John Burns, President of the British Local-Government Board, recently made some good cpigranio ill a forceful speech at the Infantile Mortality Congress. Mr. Bums not only ma do reference to tho care of infjints in tho United Kingdom;' lie also referred, to Australia, Canada, and New Zealand, who were now taking so many British emigrants. "It is a serious obligation,' lie said, "on the countries to whom wo aro now sending ont people to see that t)ho nursery should be well equipped for tlio production of strong and healthy moil aaid 1 women. English-speaking peoples aro now willing to unite in seeing that the source of their .strength is in noble motherhood, healthy parentage, and happy healthy children. • To sccuro these tilings parents must be cloaiilv wed. children nobly bred, wiselv fed, and firmlv led." 11l Mr. Burns's opinion tlio increased activity of women in all phases of commercial and industrial life was prejudicial to the community, and tlio race as a whole. . I'or at least four months before a child was born, and for longer- after the child is born, mothers should bo mothers and not machines. There were too many childless women mouni'ing over dogs wlw would be much happier in looking after other' people's children. "It- would be a good thing if, instead of providing jackets for dogs, slippers for limiiidii. and bracelets for favourite puppies, W some" of theso women would come- to me. I should be only too pleased to convert myself into a children's agency to provide lnunaiii substitutes for ca"u:« pets, and it would do them more good than they think." -