New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-02-20
THE PERIL OF FRANCE.

10 say that France, not merely the Republic,
but France itself, people, civilization and genius,
Is IN danger is not to eXaggerate the case. OF
that fact no one has keener realization than
Frenchmen themselves, or those Frenchmen who
pay attention to the subject DepOpulation that
Is the enemy. 1t is not a new one. 1t has con-
fronted the nation for many years. At each re-
curing census its menaces have become more
direct and immediate. According to the latest
census. just taken, says NJ. Berton. the accom-
plished head of the Paris Municipal Bureau of
Statistics, the result Is appalling; so Ominous
that unless wellnigh miraculous change for
the better shall speedily occur, France will be
in instant peril Of being overwhelmed by the
sheer physical preponderance of her neighbors.
1t is not that she is declining but that she is
standing still while they are rapidly growing.
what are the facts! In three years the pOpu-
lation of France has increased by only 1902
In the same time that Of Germany has increased
by 100000. and that of Great Britain by still
more. 1t Is not that there have been so many
deaths. The yearly death rate of France is only
about II per 1OO0-one Of the lowest i'm the
world. 1t Is not that emigration Is too great.
There are fewer emigrants from France than
from most other European countries 1t is sim
ply that the birth rate is too low. The Divine
injunction TO marry, increase and multiply Is
not Obeyed Why, students of social economy
may determine for themselves. They will do
well 10 look, first of ALL at the land laws of
France, and see if the fault does not lie there
For it is significant that the increase of pop
ulatiOn slight as it is, is practically confined
10 the great cities. Elsewhere the population
Is actually decreasing. or the increase OF 49,
OPT, more than One-haf, say $4,000 must be
credited to Paris alone. There are 81 Depart
ments. In 1856 an increase Of population was
reported in 80 and decrease in %; i'm 1891 in
crease in 81 and decrease in 30, and in 1896 in
crease in only "a and decrease in GO. Every
one knows what increase in cities and decrease
in rural districts mean
AS compared with Germany, the situation Is
startling. In 1871 the two countries were abou.
equal in population. Now Germany outnumbers
France by 14,000.OOO, and the disparity is in
creasng yearly. Again. in 1873. the number OF
young men available for military service was
about the same in both. This year Germany has
100000 cOnscrlpts and France only 10000 In
seven years there have been twice as many births
i'm Germany as in France. That inevitably means
that fourteen years hence there will be in Ger
many twice as many available cOnscrpts as in
France What will that mean? The answer
need not be uttered. Two TO one make wellnigh
hopeless odds. Nor can it be claimed that the
fewer children Of French parents are of better
quality than the many Of the Germans The
contrary is the case. The only child is petted
and pampered. while the halfdozen grow up
more robust and selfrellant.
The matter Is one Of more than national con-
Germ. The interest Of the world Is involved. II
would hp n blow tn the balance of nower I'm En-
rope, as well as to the sensblties Of the ma
tons, for Germany to fulfil the threat Of crush
ing France by sheer superiority Of numbers, and
to take possession Of her fertile fields for the
OvercrOwded population of the Teutonic States
TO settle upon. But more than that, It would
be an rreparable loss to civilization, to human
ity, to have the French race thus overwhelmed
and crushed down to q subordinate and sub