The Robesonian., 1918-06-06
DRAIN OF MANPOWER.
Loss of Population Felt More Seri-
ously by the Central Powers Than
Bv the Entente-German Birth
Rate Decreases.

Rate Decreases.
London Dispatch, June End.
The drain of manpower, the fall in
the numbers of births and the loss of
the population through sickness and
urderfeeding is felt more severely
By the Central Powers than by the
peoples of the Entente Whereas the
annual gain in population in Germany
in Austria and in Hungary has given
Of the Entente have suffered very
small dimunition in comparison.
Great Britain's total population has
so far remained at about the same fl
cure, gains balancing losses. The rate
of increase in the United States has
not been affected at all. AS the war
goes on this growing disparity in the
losses of population between the Cen
tral Powers and the peoples fighting
them is likely to increase. If the war
goes on into next year the population
of the German empire, on which re-
lance was placed for the enlargement
of Germany's prosperity and industry
and for repairing the injury to trade
and commerce after the war, will
have lost 10 per cent. of it's numbers
and a still greater proportion of its
industrial strength.
The German empire which in June
1919, should have had 100000 peo.
pie, will have no more than sixty
four and a half millions. Germany
as whole will have five per cent. less
population than when the war began
Of those that have been killed the
greater number were men in the
prime of life and energy, whom Ger
many could least spare. By deaths
In the battle zones the German EN-.
nlre has lost at least 100000 men
The birth rate has sunk to such fl
gure that by next year the number o.
births will have fallen short of wha
they would have been had there beer
no war, by three and a third millior
of children.
Increase of Deaths.
In the same period the annual mum
Der of deaths among the German
civilian population has, owing to tht
stress and anxiety of the war an,
owing to sickness and disease, which
have been aggravated by hardship!
and food troubles, increased by i,
1000 over the normal. But this Il
perhaps to be regarded as merel.
wedding and no great biological loss
Much of the mortality among chill
dren and among the civilian popula
tlon as whole has been casued b,
the way in which the food supply o
Germany has been mismara ged ir tn
interests of the landholders and 0
the farming class and to the detrimen
OF the poor. The landholders an
farmers have prospered while tn
poor in the towns have gone shor
OF bread and potatoes.
-, On the other hand because of tn
i>oeral separation allowances and tn
nigh wages, the vital conditions of tn
working classes in Great Britain hav
been better since the war than whe
the war began. By next year the &c,
man empire will be 7,025 900 lower
population than it would have bee
mad the war not taken place.
Reduction in Austria.
Inc vitality Of the peoples of All
IRA and of Hungary has suffered eve
more. This, perhaps, was to be e,
Pected. The peoples of Austria wi
De IL per cent. poorer in numbe
next year than if the war had nev.
taken place. They will be eight p'
cent. lower in numbers than they we
IN 1914 Hungary will be still wor
Oft. 1t will have population nil
per. cent. lower than before the W.
and IL per cent lower than if the
mad been no war. AS the war co
tlnues so will these losses increase
Meanwhile, Notwithstanding t
losses which England has suffered
the war zone. the British populat;
mas been growing. BY the middle
1919 this population will be only thr
per cent. lower than it would he
Deen without war. Great Britain
Isle will have a larger populati
than in 1914.