SOME CHECKS TO INFANTILE MORTALITY 



By M. JUSSERAXD, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary 

 from France to the United States. 



When I began my diplomatic career many years ago, one of 

 the first Secretaries of State under whom I worked was a very 

 old and wise man. He was an octogenarian and had practically 

 spent his life in company with Aristotle, devoting his spare 

 hours to translating the works of the great thinker. He used to 

 say to all of us: "Young men, society has existed for centuries 

 and centuries. Think of how much it has done for you; you in- 

 herit the wisdom of ages, the beauty of ages, the learning of ages, 

 the experience of ages. Whatever you do you will never be able 

 to compensate society for what it has done for you. There is at 

 least one thing you should strive to do for society, that is to con- 

 tinue it." 



What your Association aims at, is simply an application of 

 the remarks of that old French sage, Barthelemi St. Hilaire, you 

 strive to continue society. 



The problem is a grave one. Throughout the world a marked 

 decrease is noticeable in the rate of births. The exceptions are 

 few, the most striking one being the French of Canada, with 

 their fine families of innumerable healthy children. Some will 

 think, but is it really necessary that mankind should increase? 

 The answer is simple. What do you think of your ancestors? 

 Have you any fondness, any respect for them ; any admiration for 

 the principles they have handed down to you? If you have, then 

 hand those principles, with your blood, down to your children, 

 and having children, keep them healthy. Do not allow the whole 

 earth to go to the children of others. 



There is no doubt as to the importance of the problem. It is 

 a grave one in France, not, however, as sometimes said, a des- 

 perate one. I am sure you will hear with pleasure that the last 

 statistics concerning my country show that during the last six 

 months the number of births has been 21,000 over the number 

 of deaths, which in these days is a kind of record with us. ^ One 

 thing, besides, to be taken into account when forming a judg- 

 ment is that France is very thickly populated, and such a factor 

 in the problem is to be reckoned with. I remember once talking 

 with a Brazilian friend of mine of the growth of his country and 



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