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"7 , IS HUMANITY WEARING ITSELF OUT? sri
The-average span of human life is being slowly prolonged -and at thej(
same time human life is growing shorter. . -
You ask, "How can this be?" Let ub explain the paradox.
Suppose that of 10,000 persons dying 50 years ago, 5,000 were babiesV
who died in their first year; 2,000 between 1 and 10; 2fi00 between 10 andj
40 and the last 1,000 above 40. I
Then suppose that of 10,000 deaths during 1914, only 3,000 were to ba
of babies, the others so distributed aa to make, for the whole 10,000, a larger!
total of years of life than was .enjoyed by the 10,000 of 50 years ago; but
with the expectancy of life M the age of 40 actually less than ever before
This would give a longer average span of life, but it wduld also show"!
that human life is growing shorter. And that is what is happening, the ex-J
perts tell us, in every country in the world except one Sweden.
We are conquering the" epidemics, those whirlwinds of disease which;
sweep humanity away byjthe thousands.
But weare being gradually conquered by the organic diseases, the weai
and tear of' unwholesome living conditions upon bddfly organs not yet ad-l
justed by evolution.
Our nerves, our livers, our stomachs, our hearts and arteries aren't!
holding out as they did in days of old, when life was easier, simpler.
Fewer die when very'young, but more die ere tijey have become very
old.
The reason Sweden is actually prolonging life is because the people of
Sweden are learning to live normally and are making health rather than
wealth their prime consideration. The people of Sweden are refusing to
wear themselves out in a crazy rush for gold. Moreover, the Swedes arer
an outdoor people. They toil to live. They don't live to toil.
We can lengthen our lives whenever we want to. There is nothing
mysterious about the process. Almost every child can tell you how to da
it. It's tne doing of it that sticks.
o o
PURITY SUNDAY
Tomorrow will be observed as Pur
ity Day. Mayor Harrison has issued
a proclamation to that effect.
Minneapolis, Minn., 'Nov. 8. To
morrow will be celebrated as Purity
Sunday in every church in Minneap
olis and throughout the United States
and a score of foreign countries
where fight against white slavery, the
social evil and "civic ill-health" are
to be found. Delegates from a score
of nations to the seventh Internation
al Purity Congress in session. here
will occupy the local pulpits. In ev
ery church in the United States, if
the program is followed, ministers
and speakers will devote their ser
mons and addresses to social and
civic betterment As explained at to
day's sessions here, the sermons, "de-
livered at as near the same hour as
possible in every church In every city,
town and village in the nation will
rise simultaneously as the nation's
plea for better humanity."
Olmpia, Wash. By proclamation
of Gov. Lister, tomorrow will be
'Purity Day" throughout the state.
In the proclamation setting aside the
day "Purity Day" the governor urged
every newspaper in Washington to
pririt editorials on the subject of so
cial and civic betterment, and every
minister has been asked to base ser-1
mons on the same subject.
o o
Average salary of the 165,000
clergymen of the United States- is
$663 a year.
