GERMANY'S DECAY

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 56, 29 November 1919, Page 9

GERMANY'S DECAY

SOME STARTLING EFFECTS OF THE WAR AN UNDERFED POPULACE Dr. Abderhalden, tho eminent physiologist, mado soma startling' statemonts about the conditions in Germany in the course of the Budget debate in tlio Prussian National Assembly, lie urged in particular that the Ministry of Public Welfare should devote most strenuous efforts to the care of youth in every -respect, antf showed how enormous was the ■work to bo accomplished. The youth of to-dav. he said, was famished and physically defective. Infant mortality was very high, and was still increasing, and if tho mortality generally were not speedily reduced Germany would bo within siirht of a period when her population would be half what it was to-aay, especially as it had been proved by experiment with under-nourished animals that their descendants died out in the next generation. Attempts had been made. Dr. Abderhaiden continued, to improve the physical conoition of children by sending thorn to neutral countries for a time, but, unfortunately, the right choice had not always been made, and in many cases healthy children had been sent and under-nourished children kent at home.

Turning to the question of the workers. the professor urged the Ministry of Public Welfare to adopt every possible measure to augment the love of work. The workman, lie sain', must learn to esteem the value of work, and then he would onco again feel joy in his work. An immense step forward would be made if lie became a shareholder in the enternrise in which he was employed. Twlay, however, ho continued, the workmen were under-nourished to such an extent that their working powers were reduced by one-half, pno.' that fact ought to have been taken into consideration during the recent negotiations with the miners.

Tuberculosis and Venereal Disease, Dr. Aliderhalden observed that before the war Germany was proud of the fact that she took the lead in combating tuberculosis. and was beginning to get the upper hand of the disease- To-day, however. the Germans must admit, to their extremo regret, that cases ; were on the increase oaily, and as so'many people must live crowdcd together, owing to the lack of dwelling accommodation, the disease could not but spread fearfully duriwr the coming winter. Venereal diseases had also spread enormously, the nrofessor informed the National Assembly—he. used the wortf colossally— and. as a matter of fact, the whole nation had become infected with the disease through the war. Several hundred fresh cases of venereal disease were reported daily in Berlin, and, although all that could be done was done, there was no room in the hospitals for the patients. He thanked God that prostitution was at last beinc dealt with from tho medical noint of view, and being gradually removed from the control of the police. Ho advocated more rigorous action in regard to tho supply of alcohol, especially to young people. Ho deplorea' the fact that the opening of tho frontiers had increased the dancer of alcoholism.