in America less than five years old could be
saved at an average cost of $20 per child, which means an annual loss to
the nation of $576,000,000, according to Professor Fisher's calculation
of what would have been the future value of all the children now lost
(above their cost of maintenance).

"We have counted it our good fortune," says Professor Fisher, "to
dwell in a land where nature has been so prodigal that we have not
needed to fear want. We are only beginning to realize that this
very prodigality of nature has produced a spirit of prodigality in
men.

"It is the purpose of the conservation movement to rebuke and
correct this national trait, and the resources of science are now
concentrated in this mighty effort in that direction.

"The conservation of human life will, I believe, constitute the
grandest movement of the twentieth century.

"Not only do human beings constitute by far the greatest part of
our natural resources, but the waste of human life and strength is
by far the greatest of all wastes. In the report of President
Roosevelt's conservation commission, although his commission was
primarily appointed to conserve our natural rather than our vital
resources, it was pointed out that _human beings, considered as
capitalized working power, are worth three to five times all our
other capital_, and that, even on a very moderate estimate, the
total waste and unnecessary loss of our national vitality amounts
to _one and one half billions of dollars per year_."[56]

When the "State Socialist" policy has taken possession of the world,
which may be in the very near future, or, more correctly speaking, when
the world's business and politics are so organized as to give this
policy a chance for a full and free application, is it not evident that
every advanced nation will consider it as being to its business interest
to put an end to this vast, unnecessary loss of life? And if half a
billion a year is lost through unnecessary deaths of very young
children, is it not probable that an equal sum is lost through death
later in childhood or early youth, another similar sum through
underfeeding in later life, or through lack of sufficient exercise,
rest, recreation, and outdoor life, and a far larger amount through lack
of industrial training? Is it not certain that unnecessary industrial
accidents, sickness due to