1937-03-29 — Page 6

THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPII, MONDAY, MARCH 29, 1937.

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ONE IS SOMETIMES MORE THAN TWO

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SEE that the National Association of Insur- ance Committees at Bournemouth have been' at the old game of trying to make British flesh creep with the falling birth-rate

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Unless British mothers make up their minds to have more children, they warn of "the population Britain in thirty years will .drop alarmingly."

Phone 27778/9, us,

DEATH

XISTNER.-On Easter Sunday, 1937, Belinda Anne, beloved baby of Noel and Frank Kistner, aged five months.

The

Hongkong Telegraph:

MONDAY, MARCH 29, 1937.

AN EMPIRE COUNCIL?

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the Cornuation observances of numerous Dominion statesmen for the purpose of holding an- other Imperial Conference, ut which important matters of com- mon concern to the Motherland and the overseas Dominions will be discussed. Such gatherings take place all too infrequently. It is true that High Commis-

issues arise which affect the Dominions, and thut in these. days of rapid communication consultation is greatly facilita- ted. The Committee of Imperial Defence provides another valued link. But these are not ade- quate substitutes for the neces- sities of the case. Hence the proposal that there should be established in London à Com-

In thirty years, if we go on as the number we are doing now,

of mothers will be two-third of what it is now.

of

So the National Association Insurance Committees, faced with this problem of our declining birth- rale, have decided to ask the Minis- ter of Health to appoint a repre- sentative committee to report on the health services of England.

Why?

Presumably because it is believed that improved health will solve the problemi.

baby

Very simple for the Chancellor of the Exchequer, but not so simple for Mr. Smith,

Before their first child came the Smiths were getting niong fairly comfortably in their three-bed-room house.

Mrs. Smith was able to look after her modern-equipped home, cook the meals, keep the home clean and tidy, do a certain amount of washing and mending, and live just on the right side of their salary,

THEN came Smith, jun., to ndd The weekly budget und

to Mrs. Smith's daily work for the home.

But she could still manage to look after her baby and keep her home spick and span.

And Mr. Smith, when he afled in his income tax form, claimed the 200 a kind-hearted Chancellor al- lowed for young Smit

Smith,

The Smitha love children, and El year later О

second little Smith arrives. Now things begin to grow complicated for Mrs.

Smith, with two young babies and a house to look after.

This is one father's explanation of the declining birth rate. He believes it is the middle-class of view. Do YOU agree?

point

FALLING

ALTHOUGH the population in-

creased by two and two- thirds millions between 1021 and 1934, the birth-rate ins fallen by one-third during the last genera- tion.

Population increase is due to better health, longer Hyes.

During the last 13 years the average number of persons per family has fallen from 4.17 to 3.00.

*

From 1841 to 1850 there were 32.0 live births per 1,000 popula- tion. In 1901 this had shrunk to 28.5 in 1025 to 18.3. In 1934 It was only 14.8.

and even than our grandparents DON'T believe It. And

healthier than our parents--that 15, I don't believe that the man we are better physical specimens to appeal to is the Minister of Health, and live longer. Good health means With all due respect to Sir Kingsley bigger and better," but not neces- Wood, I muintain that the man who

sarily more, children. should be first tackled is the Chan- cellor of the Exchequer, Mr. Neville

Chamberlain.

Of course, the Chancel- lor allows Mr. Smith on- other £60 off his income tax for his second child. But the actual tax rebate which this makes does not cover baby's food, to say nothing of

clothes, chemists and the numerous other inciden- in all bautes early

education for their children with days. And now Mrs. Smith Dads it a fair prospect of a good job when impossible, with two babies, to run they are grown up.

her home properly. She has to engage

1

I know it will be sold that this a charwoman ni seven shillings a day, Is mainly a middle-class view, and or hire a maidservant whose wages an upper-middle-class at that. have to be paid and whose hunger

has to be appeased, Granted. But this middle-class

The Smiths' Income is reduced by view is spreading downwards, eco- exactly that much. And does the nomically speaking, and from my Chanecilor of the Exchequer make an own inquiries and observations is allowance for this? Not on your making headway among the people lite his view Mrs. Smith should find

who carn less but provide more In children.

the

д much

a way of looking after her, two small The question is not so much one children and running her home- of health, but pounds, shilings and without help.

And if a third young Smith comes pence. And it is not so problem for man who looks before the other two are old enough after our health as for the man who to keep on their legs, she must per- the form the same miracle or even ́ a every year puis his hand in to the hardship of life; the Chan-Smiths in this country are refusing to pockets of so many of us and adds harder one.

But hundreds of thousands of cellor of the Exchequer.

go on working this kind of miracle,

AND what has the Chancellor und until the Chancellor of the Ex-

HENCE my advice to the

done to solve this problem? chequer takes the trouble to learn. To my mind and I think this is as much about household budget the view of most parents-the Chan- balancing us he knows about national cellor's idea of children allowances Budget balancing, they will go on re- shows complete disregard of the fusing. economic conditions of our middle- BELIEVE that the number class taxpayers.

National Association of of married

couples In

His "£60 allowance for each child" Insurance Committees, or any other es- England who refuse to have Biologically it is. I suppose,

makes

falling wonder what he knows of bodies concerned with our one

bithrate Appeal first to the Chan- sential to have healthy parents to children because they dislike them is the household budget.

He seems have worked it out by cellor of the Exchequer.

30

He is the "big bad wolf" for the produce healthy children. No one negligible. On the other hand, I be-

Hleve that by for the greater majority simple arithmetic, very simple arith- is going to dispute this.

But even healthy parents cannot want children-several children, and metle, like one and one make two, average middle-class family man.

not just one or two.

A man with one child be forced to produce children.

gets £00 to be able Imocked off. Therefore a man with Furthermore,

But they also want I believe it is es- tablished that we are all healthier to provide a decent existence and two children gels. £120, and so

оп.

FIXING A DATE FOR EASTER

Steps to

governs Whitsun, that

World-wide Calendar Reform Time for January 1939

By C. B. MORTLOCK

not many

FICTITIOUS MOON

Nelther proposal is new.

into calculations a fictitious moon to

EVERY MONTH FOUR WEEKS

F. J. Tuckfield

on a monthly basis £28 only would be needed under the new scheme,

CHOICE FOR GENEVA

has been

Since 1023 the matter before the League of Nations which entrusted-It-to-the-Communications- 11 und Transit committee. That com- mittee meets only once in four years, and

is to have lis next meeting in October of this year.

than a

In 1927 the secretariat of the

The housewife would no longer be AR by

faced with five week-ends' catering ly

on four weeks' pay; employers would authorities that

the 13-month year can be multiplied will fall according to the present almost Indefinitely; indeed, there are calendar in 1039,

In that year also January 1 will many public bodies, including Gov- ernment departments and railways, fall or a Sunday, thus giving an as well as business undertakings, who opportunity, which will not recur ill do in fact divide their financial year 1950, of Inaugurating the 13-month into 13 four-weekly periods.

year, an essential feature of which is that each month should, begin on a In most countries of the world Sunday. weekly and four-weekly periods are 14

used for vital statistics. For almost

League requested the nations, in- cluding the United States, to submit their proposals for calender reform. Something Uko 300 different schemes were put forward,

ward. These have been reduced by the committee to two. The most sweeping plan of calendar One is the 13-month year and the non Council of empire to deal LESS than a year ago the cerned there is no difficulty in the

Easter holidays were all way, but the change cannot be effect-reform is that by which the year other the equalisation of the quar- ed without the adherence of the would be divided into 13 lunar ters. Both provide for a Fixed and both depend on the insertion of a with the many Imperial ques-over, and we were back at work Roman Catholic Church. In 1921 months of 28 days each, the one and Year Day owing to the asymmetrica tions which are constantly aris-again for a fortnight. Next Cardinal Bourne expressed his be left over being named Year Day ing. London is obviously

the year on March 23 we shall havo lief that the Vatican would sanction reckoned as a public holiday. But habit of the earth in revolving round

the

*proposal for a

unani-vocated by Auguste Comte, the neat 304, centre for such

Since the fixed Easter and calen- a body, which more than a week to go before vided there was a practically unan-ven that is not new, for it was ad- the sun in 3054 days instead of in a would be representative both of Easter. Then in 1949 Easter mous request to that effect from the French philosopher, more

getting something the Mother Country and the self-Day will be within two days of principal Governments of the world. hundred years ago. A great advan- dar reform are intertwined there is

Obviously the chunge must be made tage of the 13-month year is that the some urgency governing Dominions, and which the earliest it can contrive

by world-wide agreement, and a con- days of the week would always fall done about it. And for this reason. Thanks largely to the researches of sequence of that factor is that the on the same dates in the month. would be in more or less constant that is to say, March 24.

the Rev. D. F. Fotheringham, vicar session. The United Kingdom, We are so inured to the variable- proposal for a fixed Easter is bound

Kent, it is now general- all ecclesiastical in its dealings with the Domin-ness of Easter, which in its turns up with calendar reform generally.

the date

of tho ions, always keeps well in mind people stop to inquire how it comes

not occasionally have 53 pay-days in Crucifixion was on April 7, A.D. 30. that the date the rights of the Dominions, about

of Easter

The the year instead of 52; school and That date is unanimously recom- fluctuates in what seems the inost

and mended by the League of Nations which have been placed on a very arbitrary fashion through the Ave /calendar reform of Pope Gregory college terms would be rolled. Committee to be observed as Good.

all comparative statistics. definite basis under the Statuto weeks between March 22 and April XIII, in the 10th century-bringing In fact the arguments in support of Friday. That is the day on which it of Westminster. It has been 25. clearly shown in recent years sometimes to beguile the tedium of When I was a small boy 1 used that the Motherland takes no

sermon-time by trying to work out action or adopts по formula the "Table to Find Easter" which without due and proper

con-among the early pages of the Prayer SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT sultation with overseas Goverint it again, I notice that its mysteri Book. I never succeeded. Looking

1 2 3 A 5 6 7 ments. None the less, it is well ous system of Dominical Letters and recognised that Great Britain is Golden Numbers is worked out to the

9 10 11 12 13 still the mainstay of the Empire, year 2109 inclusive.

15 16 the only source to which the Dominions can look for effective protection against possible ng-liament on the Statute Book-the gressors. Even the Irish Free Easter Act, 1928-which definitely State owes much to the guar- fixes Easter as the Sunday after the

tendency in commerce is to work on ment cared to take the initiative at Geneva the principal difficulty of a monthly basis. dianship of the Navy. Thus, second Saturday in April, which is

unanimous

Ia acceptance would be

; how it happened to fall last year. apart altogether from ties of The Act has not yet the force of law make the incidence of Easter uni- ably stronger. Everybody with a

The sentimental objection is prob- overcome, blood and sentiment,

Lord Faversham, speaking for the because it provides that it shall not form, which the real moon could not birthday on the 20th, 30th or 31st Government in the of Lords: stronger than they are to-day, come into operation except by Order had its critics among the Roman af

of any present month would find him the other day, argued in reply to self-interest will ensure

In Counell, which shall not be issued Catholic elergy, who pointed out the self with a strange date in another Lord Merthyr, Lord Desborough (the homogeneity of the Empire for have signified their approval.

until the various Christian bodies desirability of a fixed dale for Easter. month, and some of us would be author of the Easter Act), and the many

years to come.The So far as the Church of England and wrote,

Luther was also of their opinion coepinged ouniversaliya, and other Archbishop of Canterbury, that "How much better cherished the pro- opinion was prepared, Dominions are too weak in popu. and other religious bodies are con- would have been to have dropped posed new month of Sol which would even if it

if it welcomed reform, to press lation and defensive resources'

entirely the Moanic law referring to come between June and July, In for Immediate to enable them to stand alone so often adjusts matters much Easter, rather, than patch. it up. They fact, strictly speaking, ali birthdays for accione aetion

It is probably true that at a first oven if, which is not the case, moro quickly and satisfactorily.

should have laid down a special date and anniversaries after Jan. 28 woul for the Passion, Death

and Resurrec-be displaced.

glance English public opinion would they desired to do so. But there than is possible under other tion, Just as had been dono for On the

outweigh the dis month year. In few things: ɑre" we the setting up of a representa cil plan looks an altogether adverybody might know exactly, and been calculated that a colossal sum ment of time, thoughs we should re-

fixed and not movable, so that advantages, especially since it has so conservative as in our measure tive body which would concern mirable idea. It is one which without trouble or dispute, the dates would be released for business ex-volt at a yard-measure which was itself with all matters of com- may well be considered at the of Easter and the fenats depending pansion and other purposes owing sometimes 30in, and sometimes 34in. mon interest to the Empire as a forthcoming conference between on Easter." He added, "As things to the shortening of the month. For or 37in.

are now, we really need a further re-instance, for every £31. of liquid whole a body which would pro-delegates from all parts of the form to correct in calendar and fix capital now circulating in every sort majority of mankind 32 per cent, for

Surprising as it may seen," the vide that personal contact which Empire.

of business underisking, conducted

Continue on Page 6.), EN

never

the

ACT ALREADY PASSED

Meanwhile there is an Act of Par-

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18

19 20

21

22

23

24 25 26 27

20

13 PERIODS OF FOUR WEEKS THE CONSTANT MONTH

all scientific comparisons Info, which

a time element enters the Irregularity

THIRTEEN MONTHS There does not seem much likell- of the reformn being carried through in time to effect the change

of the calendar has to be redressed. hood

One of the principal objections toy 1039, but there is good reason for

the plan is that the 13-month year

not divisible into quarters, but the

believing that if the British Govern-

In any particu

does seem some necessity for 1 méthods. This Common Coun. Christmas...and other fenate which tages hole, however, the advan-be repugnant to the Idea of a 13-

Eastor