Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-02-08
On Board the
Good Ship Earth ("
Is There Room for Us All? And Our
Children?
By Herbert Quick

1t has been pointed out that in the
old nations-Egypt, Assyria, Babylon,
Medo-Persia-th were immense
populations. There were; but we have
no means of determining what they
were. There is no reason to be-
lieve, though. that they were as great
as our population of today-or that
the increase the world over was ever
so rapid as now. Within the past
century the world has come under
observation to an unprecedented de-
gree. and we know as never before
what the roster of the passengers
amounts to.
Gibbon calculates the population of
the Roman empire at its height at
120, 900, 900. The regions then IN
cluded in the Roman empire are now
more than twice as populous. Five
hundred years ago Europe had prob
ably about 50,OO0.OOO people; she now
has $4,000, 000 North America has a
population of 100000, drawn from
Europe and natural increase, in the
main, which she has gained in hum
dred years, save about 100000,
Whatever may have been the state
of knowledge in the past, there IS
now no lack of proof that the tend
ency of population is to increase. We
can see a Startling increase in our
day.
This is an age in which famines
are much less frequent than of old,
and wars, while frequent. do not
destroy such large populations as
formerly. In the civilized nations
sanitation and scientific progress are
reducing disease to the point of
greatly weakening the factor of pes
thence in checking increase.
In 1882 the total population of the
world, according to statistics which
while not exact are reasonably so,
, was in round numbers 1,43S, 900.
In 1907 it had increased to 100000, 900.
Thus in twenty-five years, we pas
sengers on the good ship Earth in
creased by more than the whole
population of the Western Hemis-
phere! We grew in numbers by as
many people as twice the population
of the United States at the beginn
ing of the period.
If it were really ship. and the
passenger list were growing at that
rate, would you not feel anxious if
you We're on board and could not
get off? And yet, that is the sit
uation.
At this rate in twenty years from
now there will be 1,767,000,000 on
board; in forty-five years, 1,949,OO0
600, and seventy years 2,138, 100000; in
500 years, 10000, 900, and in 900
years we shall be making growth in
the number of people every quarter
of century equal to the whole popu-
lation of the globe in the year 1900!
Some of you may have smiled at
the idea 1 have developed that the
warming of the climate of the earth
by the carbonic gas~in the air may
and probably will bring into use as
good farming countries millions of
square miles now too cold. But if
this increase keeps on, shall we not
need it? And shall we not need to
save the phosphorus and potash and
nitrogen of the soil, and haul on all
we can find, and save the washing of
the soil, and conserve the forests,
and look after the nitrates and the
coal?
Does it not look as if the NAL
thusians and Spencerians are right?
Are not war, pestilence and famine
necessary? If they do not check
this multiplication, what will?
After all, is not. God Knocked?
These things demand further con-
sideration.
(See Mondays Evening Star for
announcement of the next article in
this great series).