The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-01-31

kAS sdAie IniHSS WILL i13PPSH IN ooutA
America.
This is an illustration of what NAL
thus really said. He said that popula-
ton will increase faster than the food
supply. unless it Is checked by some
great and obvious cause. As a result
of this tendency of population to press
upon the food supply there is a fringe
Of misery and want This fringe of
misery and want will tend to disap-
pear whenever the pressure OF popula-
ton on the food supply is relieved by
any cause. Thus, if pestilence or war
destroys a great many people, there
usually follows after a little while a
period Of prosperity in which everyone
gets enough to eat. If people occu-
pies a new continent, everyone will get
enough to eat for a while. This is now
the case in South America, and was
the case in North America century
ago. Likewise, IL a people deliberate
ly chooses to have fewer children. this
starvation.
BY modern scientists who have req
turned to the Malthusian theory more
or Jess, France before the war is
pointed out as an example of this
latter thing. Instead of being cited as
nation in decay, it is cited by them
as an example of a nation which has
secured good living conditions for its
people by voluntary relieving the pres
, The facts about France are that for
forty years before the war, its popula-
ton was practically stationary. Dur
ing all that time both the production
of food and the importa ton OF food
increased. In other words, there was
more and more for everybody to eat.
Authorities say that this was reflect
ed in the prosperous condition of the
peasants and 4workmen. They say
that in the period before the war,
-.
better off than those of any other
country in Europe. At the same time,
France was known as the most civil
lied county in the world. 1t was fam
Gus for it educational system. Having
relatively few children to care for, it
cared for those remarkably well. 1t
was famed for it's achievements in the
fine arts. All the world weht to Paris
to study. 1t was also a leader in sci
ence. Not having to give so much
time to the problems created by a
rapidly growing population, France
had more energy to give-to the crea-
tive work of civilization. Then came
the war which upset all calculations,
but which at least enabled the French
to demonstrate that they were not too
decadent to fight.
Thus the question of population re-
mains a somewhat confusing one
Should a nation increase its population
as fast as possible by every means,
trusting to science to supply. food and
shelter? Or should a civilized state
follow the example of France before
the war, ana strive to reach a perma-
nent balance between population and
food supply, so that it can devote it's
surplus energies to science and art
Including the art of living?
Without pretending to pass judg-
ment, it may be said that a great deal
of authority can be found in favor of
the latter attitude toward the Ques-
ton. Thus Professor Taussig, the ia
nous American economist, points out
that high birth rate. a high death
rate and low wages seem always to go
together The contrary also seems to
be true-that low birth rate, a low
death and relatively high wages go
together. In other words. If a people
increases rapidly. its average health is
poor, and there are more workers than
jobs, so that earnings are low. If it
increases slowly, the level of health is
higher, people live longer, and there
is more work for each one to do, hence
more for each one to earn.
If this attitude is the sound one, the
correct policy in the United States
would be to encourage moderate-siz
families rather than large ones, to put
reasonable checks upon immigration,
and to devote as much energy as pos
sible to the education of both children
and aliens.