The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1926-06-25
BY David Dictz
NIL S,,.,,,,n lN,,Snr


Dr. Raymond Pearl, world-fa-
nous biologist, has been creating
min turc universcS at the
Johns Hopkins University. These
miniature univcrses show why stu
dents Of the population problem
conclude that the earth will reach
the saturation point when the popu
lation grows to 5000 millions-un-
less science comes to the rescue.
DR.. Pearl uses half-pint milk bot
ties for his universes. He popu-
lates them with fruit flies supplied
with limited amounts Of foodstuffs.
Then he studies what happens to
the populations of these milk-bot
tie universes.
He finds that the population
growth is slow at first. then rapid,
then slow again. Finally satura-
ton point is reached where the
population remains stationary.
4 Fundamental Law
DR.. Pearl points out that this is
the way in which all individual or
ganisms, both plants and animals.
grow. First the growth is slow,
then rapid and then slow again.
He believes, therefore, that this is
the fundamental law of growth.
1t can be represented by curved
line such as the mathematicians call
a graph.
1t is curve which has the form
which would be obtained by fash
ioning a letter "S' out of stiff wire
and then pulling the ends until the
central portion of the IS" was in
clined to the right instead Of to the
left.
Now DR.. Pearl points out SINH
larity between our earth and the
milk bottle universcs.
The Law Of Population
''Both possess physical limita-
TONS" he says. "As yet we have
found no way to get out into the
space surrounding the world We
live in."
And he adds, "Six years Of re.
search have convinced me that this
curve expresses the law of popula.
ton and that human populations
tend to grow in exactly the same
way that the milk-bottlc popula
lions do"
Accordingly, DIR. Pearl has plot
ted a curve for the population ol
the world. lie believes that it i:
already beginning to slow up ant
that it will reach the saturatioI
point and become stationary al
$500 millions unless science can d.
something to change the conditions
under which men must live.
In support of this view, DIR
Pearl says:
statistics are significant. The,
show that during the last century
the population of the world incrcas
ed two and a half times.
"But during the same time, tn
production Of coal and pig iron III
creased more than SO times.
Cotton production increased q
times, world commerce 20 times
world shipping eight times, railroad
mileage 5000 times and telegraph
lines 300 times.
Cannot Continue
1T is obvious that this canno
go on. If, for example, the rate 0
increase in coal production were t
continue, it would necessitate lonI
before the end of the present cen
fury an earth composed Of soli
coal.
"That is why the population
growth must slow down and event
ually reach figure beyond whic
to the rescue with new processes Q
food and fuel production"
DR.. Edward NJ. East, distinguish
ed biologist Of Harvard Universit,
agrees with DIR. Pearls figure Q
5000 millions.
He marshals agricultural figure
to support it. He points out tina
the international Institute OF Ae
riculture at Rome estimates tina
only 40 per cent Of the total are
of the most populous countries
land which can be cultivated. Al
plying that figure to the Who'll
earth gives total Of $4,000 mi
lion acres of land available fl
food production.
1877 Million in u. S.
DIR. East says that a REASONABLE
estimate for the future is about or
person for each two and "a ha
acres Of cultivated land. TIL
means that population of abol
5000 million is the maximum IL
the earth.
On the same basis, DR.. La.
places the maximum population tn
United States will be able to SUI
port at 1877 millions.
There are 1903 million acres {
land in the United States. D
East believes that its ultimate di'
posal will be as follows:
Improved cultivated land, sc
million acres; forest and woodlan
$50 million acres; range land ar
unimproved pasture, 425 millio
acres; deserts and land with mel
iRible grazing value, 238 millic
acres; cities, roads and railway
80 million acres.
NOT BY THE BOOK
IN uar