ABUSED EARTH YIELDS POOR CROPS 151 



before the seed of an immortal being is in- 

 trusted to it for development. Why should 

 not women look forward to this great cre- 

 ative experience and prepare themselves 

 for it, — abstain, abstain, and live a normal 

 life? Eemember how the Spartan mother 

 gloried in the health, intellect and strength 

 of her sons! Should not man have pride 

 in himself, pride in his children, and be 

 willing for their sake to abstain, himself, 

 from excesses? "Whatever seed ye sow, 

 so shall ye reap." 



We declare that the social diseases, dissi- 

 pation and over-indulgence, unfit men for 

 fatherhood. I inquire why the highballs, 

 drinks of alcoholic origin, cigarettes and 

 kindred indulgences, do not, equally, unfit 

 women for the office of motherhood? The 

 abused earth yields an inferior crop, no 

 matter how good the seed, and you see it in 

 the face and form of the child. Mothers, 

 stop and think ! Will you knowingly injure 

 your own offspring? 



Drinking, cigarette smoking and fast liv- 

 ing are depriving children of their natural 

 birthright. If men and women will drink, 



