Page:Women Wanted.djvu/345

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THE RISING VALUE OF A BABY
311

other suggestion she contributes. She has made it practically unanimously in all lands. In the Prussian Diet House it was one speaking with authority as the mother of eight who interpolated: "Meine Herren, if you would induce women to bring more children into the world you must make life easier for mothers." "Messieurs, Messieurs," called the Union Française pour le Suffrage des Femmes to the Société pour la Vie with its curious proposal of money grants in reward to fathers of large families, "to get children, you must cultivate mothers!" "Gentlemen," declared the Duchess of Marlborough at a great public meeting on race renewal held in the Guild Hall, London, "care of the nation's motherhood is the war measure that will safeguard future of the state."

These amendments in birth politics offered on behalf of the Most Important Person have been practically adopted the world over. Chancellors of the Exchequer are everywhere busy writing off expenditures from the taxes running into millions, in support of nation-wide campaigns for the conservation of the child. Maternity from now on in every land takes the status of a protected industry. Britain is ready to devote two and one-half million dollars a year to schools for mothers. France has voted a "wards of the nation" bill, to provide for the care of 700,000 war orphans, at a cost to the state which it is estimated will mean an outlay of two hundred million dollars. Public provisions for motherhood and infancy are proceeding apace with provisions for the armies. If