Sign of Health

The low French birth rate used to be taken as evidence of race suicide and moral decay; it is now higher than at any time since records were first kept in the 18th Century. On the eve of World War II the rate was 14.6 per 1,000 population. It has risen to 19.6. Reported Paris last week: 864,000 babies were born in France in 1948--as against 612,000 in 1939. The death rate was down: 506,000 in 1948 as against 642,000 in 1939. In the past three years, French population has increased by nearly 1,000,000, is now back to its prewar size.

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