The Washington herald., 1912-08-04

to sell to John Bull. the hungry person
on the little crowded island in the North
Sea. has dropped about 70 per cent. Ap-
parently in another two or three years
the United States will be using all its
own grain supply and in two or three
more years It will be an importer and be
busy intercepting the surplus of Canada
or Argentina, or both.
'Britain's main reliance for its staple
victual is now on Russia and a war with
that country would cut OF half its sup
ply. its other chief supporters are In
dia. Canada. Argentina, and Australia
Canada is likely to be a failing source
of supply, both through the increase
OF local population and the appearance.
at an early date, of the United States as
buyer Of Canadian wheat Argentina has
a population which is expanding in a re-
markable fashion and a local demand
which Is naturally doing the same. As
a result Argentina is already failing
granary, and the surplus which is sent
to England in 1910 was only half that OF
1905. The enormous increase of the popu-
lation Of India also makes that empire
a precarious post to lean against.
Partly through increase OF the birth
rate, largely through diminution of the
death rate, and in some measure through
folly and lack of foresight. the center
cr the worlds civilization is becoming
almost wholly dependent on the for
bearance of the circumference. 1t never
before lad to dredge Its daily loaf from
so far afield. II never before had so
many competitors for the loaf or saw
prospect of such a steady increase Of
competition. And it never before had to
obtain the loaf from people who had such
q great and steadily increasing demand
fer the article themselves. or from people
so well qualified to fight for the goods
II they should desire to retain them.
Rome even in its decay could still serve
notice on unwarlike Egypt to send along
the wheat ships whether Egypt desired
to part with them or not, and the mat
tiers Of payment hardly entered into con-
sideration. The present great wheat sup
plying countries are OF different call
Der in a military sense.
THE last century has been q time Of
riot in many ways. During that period
the world has dug UP and used more Of
its irreplacable capital in the shape of
It's accumulated capital in the shape Of
forests than 1t did-so far as We are able
to ascertain-in all the preceding ages
since creation.
1T would be unplea SAINT to suggest that
a time may actually arrive when one
half-the better-armed half-of the
worlds nations will meet In congress to
devise means of extirpating the worst
armed half In order that there may be
breathing room. That gigantic tragedy
may come. but the less said about the
possibility the better. Still. certain facts
have to be faced. AS recently as the
year 1sOo the two Americas might almost
be called empty-North America espe-
cially SO. Within ITO years they have
filled up at such a gigantic pace that,
supposing the movement to continue, an
other century will see them fairly well
settled. At the same time. Australia,
tie last Of the empty continents. had
made such progress that another two
centuries should see II as densely occu-
pied as a country with a sparse rainfall
ls likely to be. The European countries
whose surplus Inhabitants colonized these
new lands have multiplied their popula-
lions three or four fold in a century, de-
spite the relief they gained by the whole
sale export Of population.
In the England Of some three CEN
turies hence, with Its 1900. 10000 people
assuming the much-valued birth rate to
continue-mankind will probably sleep
eight in a bed. and seciusion will be the
luxury Of the very rich. Possibly even
hey Will not always be able to buy the
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