WOMAN’S WORLD.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXVII, Issue 5558, 8 April 1905, Page 12

WOMAN’S WORLD.

THE EMPTY CRADLE.

AMERICA TROUBLED. Not only axo Now Zealand and Australia concerned about their declining birth, rates. The latest alarm note comes from the United States, and a St. Louis minister has urged tho churches of the States to begin a, crusade on tho subject. Ho said, in an address to tho mooting of tho Northern Methodist ministers: “I consider tho unwillingness of women in certain circles to have children tho greatest crime of the ago.” Intemperance and tho liquor traffic, the Rov. Mr Sthutz added, while great evils, were of lesser importance. Ho advised the women v.'ho wore devoting their time to crusades against the liquor traffic to take up tho work of preaching the necessity for larger families in certain classes. While admitting that Uio subject was a delicate ono, tho speaker declared that necessity demanded that the Church should tako action to bring about a change of conditions. In anafysing Ills subject tho Rev. Mr Schutz said the aversion to raising children Is more prevalent among descendants of tho old Puritan stock than elsewhere. Ho pointed to tho fact that cxno foreign element is beginning to multiply rapidly in this country, and said that unless the native-born Americans change thoir ideas, the Republic will undergo a complete change in the character of the ponulation.