The Washington herald., 1921-10-02


world. In time when unemployment has reaehe,
millions and the world, particularly the European
world. has been brought to realize that there b.
no swift and easy recovery from the difficulties o
the present. the figures for Great Britain
veal the fact that despite the immediate and the sec
ondary losses due to war. there has been an expan
sion Of nearly 100000 in British population and that
42,767S3o human beings now live in England, Scot
pnd and Wales Unsettled conditions in Ireland have
made census-takng impossible but all estimates point
to . figure slightly above 100000 thus making
around 47,oooooo. the number of Inhabitants of the
British Isles.
This huge population. almost half of that of
Continental United States, live in an OF slightly
more than IaI.coo square miles, but excluding ireland
4z76553o inhabitants dwell -on just above $1,000
square niles which Is only twice that Of Pennsylva
MIA And despite the losses of the war this popula
ton has increased by only little less than 100000
p the past ten years. this increase to be sure. due
10 part to the suspension Of emigration consequent
upon the war. ~
Now looking at the political side Of this problem
Of population and this aspect IS now and henceforth
a-important shall be able in no small degree to
explain British policy in Europe, toward Germany,
toward Russia, toward France. For il is found in
the situation which the war has created for the mil:
lions Of people crowded in the narrow confines Of
England. Scotland and Wales Moreover, we shall
be able 10 get at least glimpse of the possibilities
for the fufre
For 4s.ocoooo Of human beings to exist within
the restricted areas Of England, Scotland and Wales
certain conditions absolutely essential II is out
Of the question that they could be seif-supportng,
that is that the soil could be cultivated sufficiently
intensiveIy to provide food for this vast population.
More than half Of the people Of Great Britain actual
sy depend upon foreign food. while upwards of 80
per cent Of the wheat and wheat -four are drawn
from the outside.
The war with the German submarine campaign
served emphasize the actual situation so far as the
British people were concerned. Could the Germans
have shut off sea-borne commerce for. relatively
short period of, time, period rheasured by weeks
rather than months Britain would have been starved
nto submission. As il was, the partial success of
The submarine blockade did bring terrible hardships
and great restriction in food, The whole nation went
war rations and despite this regulation there was
i moment when the possibility that the hunger
blockade would defeat Britain upmistakable. (.
WYE have passed out Of the war time and the war
w conditions, YET il is not less true that some
thing Of the old peril. remains. To maintain this
population at home. to overcome the handicaps inn
posed by the actual condition Of overpopuation the
British-even before the war--were obliged to do
certain things. Not being abiesto feed themselves
they were obliged to purchase food abroad and pay
for il IN their products. But aside from coal
and iron they had nothing give In return and coal
and iron were not alone enough To redress the bal
ance they were obliged to manufacture and sell
abroad TO enormous iextent drawing from the out
side world. not alone food. but raw materials If the
world market were not sufficiently wide to permit the
British to sell enough to pay for food and raw
terials then the result would have been disastrous
There were, to be sure, other sources Of revenues
TO meet the costs of food and materials There
FIRST Of all the British merchant feet which earned
iafee sums in transportation services There was.
next the steadily mounting income derived 1om
British capital invested abroad for there had been in
the past surplus aecrhng to the British people after
they had paid for their own food and raw materials.
This surplus they had invested abroad and on re-
ceived interest, dividends, etc. Al the moment when
the war broke the British had many billions invested
abroad and this was important factor in their
equation of existence f 80 q faH'