Editor's Table

Home "The Pilgrim Fathers found an empty America. Unless children be born in America, she will become empty again;" are the significant sentences uttered by Philip Whitwell Wilson, an American correspondent of the London Daily News, in an ar- New York Independent, entitled, ticle recently published in the "Count the Baby-Carriages to Tell the Fortune of a Nation's Future." He maintains further, that the backbone of the United States is the American family of the third and fourth genera- tions. No one realized this fact more clearly than Theodore Roosevelt, who was one of America's strongest advocates for a higher birthrate. Hitherto, immigrants into America, have in- cluded a fair proportion of English speaking people, which re- cruits have sustained the Anglo-Saxon stock. He then points out that a great change has come over the English nation, and goes on to show that the population of Eng- land is stationary. During the year 1918, there was 662,773 births, and 611,991 deaths. While the birth-rate in England in 1908 was 26.7 per thousand, it had already fallen, by the year 1913, to 24.11; and in 1917, it was only 17.8 per thousand; while in the year, 1918, the excess of births over deaths amounted to only 50,782. He then goes on to say that, "if the whole of this excess should migrate to America, it would take nearly twenty years to add one million from England and Wales to the Amer- ican population." Speaking of the war, he points out that a country with a low birthrate, France, was attacked by a country with a high birthrate, Germany, and had to be defended and saved by other countries with a higher birthrate. He warns England, by a sig- nificant reference to the Admiralty Arch in London, where he says there appeared, just before the war, one of the most terrible yet prophetic statues ever sculptured. It was a woman seated and holding in her arms a cannon instead of a child. "You have there the munition girl. If Europe is to survive, she must re- move the cannon and replace the babe." Furthermore, this war has taught the Anglo-Saxon the strength of Japan, China, and India, because it has displayed the weakness of the Anglo-Saxon. In Japan, the population in- creases by 750,000 a year, approximately. Compare that with

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the figure of 60,000 for England and Wales, and a negligible number for France! Japan must have room, for she is suffering from what, in the west of Ireland, they call agrarian congestion. Japan has 59,000,000 people living in only 147,000 square miles, whereas, in the United States, there are 110,000,000 people for 3,000,000 square miles; in Canada, 8,500,000 people living on 3,500,000 square miles and in Mexico, our neighboring trouble- ;

state, there are 15,000,000 people living in 767,000 square miles. For Japan, it means that the farms are becoming too small to support the families even allowing for the intensive cultivation applied by terraces to every hillside. The race having virility and babes, will conquer the world. The emigration to occupy America's broad millions of acres, will be drawn from the nation which is most crowded. If the Anglo- Saxon race is to persist, with England in her present condition, the Americans must have children and must look after the American family of the third and fourth generation which, let us determine, shall be the backbone of the United States. As matters stand today, this country may expect many millions of immigrants, and in the course of fifty years, her population may have risen to 200,000,000. Will that population be from Japan and China and other similar races, or will they be of the white race and native born whites of America? It is clear that what concerns our country today, as a great nation in the making, is the character of the ingredients from which we must draw our human material. Why not have Amer- ican children to inhabit free and glorious America! It is said that one-half of the American people now reside in cities, and if the race is to be sustained, the cities must be built so as to make motherhood tolerable. Mr. Wilson further states: "I am told that the largest families are to be found among the Irish, Poles, and Jews. In this respect, if in few others, the Hebrew and the Catholic faith agree, and all honor to those religions for emphasizing the elemental simplicities of domestic and national life. But Protestantism world, and the has also a great part to play in the development of the new situation is something of a challenge to Protestantism. We have to choose between the family tie and the elaborate, brilliant, and, in the mam, in- population of which, nocent pleasures of a highly artificial civilization, the one-half at least, now resides in cities." Mr. Wilson states that before he left England for America, he sold his furniture which had been purchased many years much and often more before, but for which he realized as as,

in the first instance. There was, however, than, he paid for it war had beer, one exception, the baby-carria S e, which before the bargain for $35. It was in good purchased by him at a special "Apparently, "he philoso- condition, but it sold now for $2,50. phizes, "there were no babies to fill it."

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Motherhood must be made to flourish, it must be recognized as an important occupation and as well organized as any other industry. The mother should have her time off, and should not be compelled to do all the drudgery of the home, in cooking, washing, and providing three or four meals a day for the whole family, and be expected, at the same time, to train her children, and to carry on the work of motherhood. He points out that communities and institutional kitchens, nurseries, and play- grounds may be provided as helps to the home, and concludes: "We must learn to live in communities, each bearing the other's burdens, and so fulfiling the law of Him who was the friend of little chil- dren. If we take these economic steps, and supplement them by a fresh realization of the beauty of child life, we shall check the selfish tendency of each generation to live for its own pleasure."

The Latter-day Saints generally are settled in ideal com- munities, and have been noted long for their love of children. "Utah's best crop," for years and years, was her children. It is now. They are the strength of Israel, the power of the past, the glory of the now and the future. The Church ot Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has constantly encouraged the family as the unit and foundation of society. Our homes, our organizations, the Church itself, and every tendency, have encouraged chil- dren. Not only their birth into the world, but their proper care and their education; and our people by their family and pub- lic associations have made ample provision for the character development of their children, and their training in the princi- ples of the soapel of Jesus Christ, which lie at the foundation of home, happiness, and ioy in the world. But even among the Latter-dav Saints, selfishness, love of monev and pleasure, the theatre, the movies, the opera-house, the club, the hotel, the apartment house, and the automobile, are beginning to militate against the nursery and the home. It is well that the Latter-day Saints should take warning from France, England, and our own countrv, and vividly im- press upon their minds that if thev expect to be strong as a unit in this land of ours, and to hold their own with the nation, and with the yellow and the black race, in order that the white races may predominate and ultimately people and inhabit North America, the Zion of our God, it must be done on the principle of continued encouragement for motherhood and the home! It can never be done on the principle of birth control. As a people, we have everv facility for rearing large fam- ilies, and for caring and providing for them by co-operation in labor, economic affairs, in educational opportunities and in moral and spiritual advancement and training. Thus we should be able to continue to maintain the splendid reputation that we

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have justly earned as a people of large families, clean and pure, physically perfect, spiritually well developed,—the intellectual peers of any people upon the earth. But there is a grave prob- lem ahead which must be solved. Luxury, wealth, personal pleasure, selfishness, and indifference for the future, are for- midable foes arrayed against children and the home. The en- emy will be met and overcome. But the battle is on; let us not minimize the serious situation, nor the strength of the adver- sary. In this connection, we call attention to the splendid discus- sions on "Home-Building," "A Man More Precious than Gold;" the story of "Two Home-Makers," and the articles on "The First Commandment," and "Victory;" the poem "'Baby's Eyes," and other themes bearing on the subject, in this number of the Improvement Era. —A. Messages from the Missions

Great Need of More Elders

Elder R. W. Hunsaker, Manaia Taranki, New Zealand, writes June 13: "There are at the present time, four elders laboring in the New Zealand mission, and one in the South African mission, all from the Ellwood ward, in the Bear River stake of Zion, a ward con- sisting of about three hundred souls. The need of elders through- out the world to proclaim the everlasting gospel, is found to be very great and especially at the present time. We think Ellwood is doing her share. You may be assured we appreciate the Era. Elders, left to right: Raymond W. Hunsaker, Donald L. Hunsaker, Tremonton, Utah.

First Conference of the New Canadian Mission in the country last "Sister Bessie Whitaker has arrived. She went out splendid audience ot Thursday night and rendered music to the delight of a President Nephi Jensen, strangers who came out to hear the elders," writes from Toronto, Canada, August 5. Further, he says: "We made our debut in Toronto, Sunday, July 20. On that day we conference of the Canadian mission The evening meemg held the first was held in His Majesty's tlie financial center of this Theatre city. The splendid which is located within two meeting audience had been greeted us. adverted Il ^ blocks of

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of the largest papers, and a rm^n spirit sing the songs of Zion spiring to hear the Saints in their hearty <

this part of Canada. Although it was a a block of the commercial hub of for-an hour and ah V eal warm and sultry night we held the audience and even then they were loth to leave. A number of elders of the Ke or

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1004 IMPROVEMENT ERA

ganized church who have been deserted here by their noted leader, Bishop R. C. Evans, came forward and expressed pleasure in what they had heard, and assured us of their intention to come again. I am deeply impressed with the immensity of the field before us. There is a whole world here to con- quer for Christ. In a number of localities there are openings where elders could do effective work, but we have no elders to send. The harvest is truly great but the laborers are few. "Accept my hearty wishes for continued success in your noble work." Nephi Jensen. The "Era" a Missionary Aid Elder Irven Christensen writing from Decatur, Illinois, under date of July 24, says: "Until recently the following missionaries were laboring in Decatur, Illinois, of the South Illinois conference. Northern States mission: standing, Adrian Coleman, Ma- grath, Alta., Canada ;> sitting, M. M. Larson, Safford, Ariz.; Irven Chris- tensen, Shelley, Idaho; Heber C. Kunz, Bern, Idaho. The spicy and instructive articles in the Era are great aids in holding the interest of friends and investigators to whom we loan the magazine. Hav- ing thus gained their interest we have been able to explain the gos- pel truths to many. Rest assured that we will heartily support the Era. With prayers for the con- tinued growth and advancement of this noble work, I am yours in the gospel, Irven Christensen."

Local Missionaries E. K. Hanks, writing from Bloomington, Illinois, July 14, says: "Conditions in the Indian- apolis branch, Southern Indiana conference, are rapidly improv- ing by virtue of the Priesthood which the local brethren hold, and because of their unity and hu- mility in the work, there can only be rapid advancement and many blessings ahead. A more united and hard-working class of men, it would be hard to find. They work all day in shops, as policemen, or in other work, and when night comes, you find them at their duty in spiritual things. They act as watchmen upon the land to warn the people that the kingdom of God is at hand. In their visits and attendance at meetings, they feel refreshed, though tired Vvith their day's work. Through these efforts, they have gained many testimonies which, when given, gladden the souls of men. Cottage and ftreet meetings go on just the same, notwithstanding the regular trav- eling elders may be absent, the local brethren showing the true Spirit tfcat comes from the Lord. The photograph of these brethren is the first that they have ever taken; they are worthy and true laborers: left to right, back row: Alva B. Jackson, Randolph, Utah; Lee M. Cadby, treasurer Indianapolis branch; Dean C. Goodsell, Logan; E. K. Hanks,

Grover, Utah; L. B. Farnsworth, N. M.; Ralph Greeson, Secy, priest- hood meetings. Front, local elders: Charles Orme; Lewis W. Jones, first counselor in branch presidency; John S. Thomas, branch president; Tell Cunningham, second counselor; C. W. Hodge."

A Great Feast at Dedication of Church Building John L. McCullough, writing from Papette, Tahiti, June 17, 1919, says: "I am sending under separate cover a picture of the new L. D. S. meetinghouse recently erected on the island of Hikureu, Society Islands.

L. D. S. Chapel in Hikureu

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II is one of the finest buildings of the entire Society group. The Elders did most of the labor in its construction, which reduced the cost to about $6,000. Hikureu is an atoll, or low coral reef island. The spire of the church looms above the cocoanut trees, and is the first thing to be seen by an approaching vessel. This chapel was built to replace the one destroyed by the cyclone of 1906. It was dedicated November 8, 1918, President Ernest Rossiter offering the dedicatorv ~»ayer. Three days of spirited meetings were held, which were attended by almost the entire population of the island. The dedication took place during the diving season, consequently the entire group was represented there, both natives and Europeans. For the three days' feasting that followed, five tons of fruit and vegetables were brought from Tahiti, a distance of 500 miles. Besides this, there was 30 pigs, 8 turtles, 500 loaves of bread, 1500 cocoanuts, and a boat load of fish.

"Elders laboring in the Tahitian Mission: Left to right, standing: Andrew K. Steadman, Mammoth; Grant L. Benson, Grantsville; John L. McCullough, Salt Lake City; William H. Orton, released, North Ogden; sitting: John D. Monk, released, Cowley, Wyoming; President Ernest C. Rossiter, and Sister Venus R. Rossiter, Salt Lake City."

Work in Hawaii Interesting President E. Wesley Smith, of the Hawaiian Mission, writes under date of August 4; "My work here is becoming interesting, and the people are loyal and willing to do all in their power to assist me. It will take me sometime, however, to acquaint myself with all the conditions of the mission. The elders appreciate the Era and we will endeavor to furnish you with interesting items pertaining to our work in this sunny land. I am pleased to send you enclosed two subscriptions, and earnestly hope ere long to send you some more."