The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1926-06-24
by DAVID DIETZ

BY DAVID DIETZ
Science is running race with
population growth today. The stakes
are the happiness Of mankind.
II science wins, the future viii see
Il wcllfed happy world.
If science loses, the future will see
an overcrowded, under-fcd. unhappy
world.
The sort of lives our grcat-granh
children Will lead depends upon the
outcome of researches now under
way in the great scientific laborator-
les Of the world.
The worlds greatest scientists have
been studying the problem very care
fully. Here is the picture they draw
of what the world Of our great
grandchildren. the world Of 202G,
will be like it the dreams Of science
fail to materializc--that is, if the
world in 2O26 must depend upon pre-
scnt-day methods of farming, mining,
and manufacturing for its food, fuel
and power.
Standing Room Only
In that case. the year 2O2f will see
the standing Room Only" sign be
come the flag of all nations.
In 1900. the population of the world
was less than $50 millions.
In 1926, it was "A little more than
1900 millions.
In 2O26. it will be close to $500
millions.
That figure represents the maxi
mum population which this earth Of
ours can support with present meth
DDS Of agriculture and power produc-
ton.
Every available piece Of land which
can be cultivated will be under cul-
tivation. Reindeer herds will be
raised in the arctic. Civilization will
have pushed as far into the tropics
as the hazards of tropical diseases
and the discomforts Of the climate
permit.
immigration will be prohibited by
every nation Of the world, since every
nation will have the largest popula-
ton which it can support.
Living will be far harder than it
is today. Competition will be keener,
prices higher and luxuries fewer.
Poor crops will mean more than
high prices. They will mean actual
Starvation.
The whole world will resemble the
China and India Of today, where fam
inc follows crop failures.
Greater Chances for War
For in 2026 no nation will have 4
crop surplus. international trade
will consist merely of an exchange,
a country, for example, exporting
sugar and importing wheat.
With living so precarious 4 mat
ter, social unrest and international
distrust will increase, making the
possibilities of civil disturbances and
war infinitely greater than at pres
cnt.
The worlds population will not
grow any larger than 5000 millions
because any increase beyond that
number will constitute an excess for
which sufficient food and fuel can
not be provided.
As result, the cruel operation Of
nature through famine, disease or
war will NOW down this excess Of
population in a short time.
That is one picture of the sort Of
world our Observation-Disclosures may
have to face in 2026. II is based
upon the failure Of science.
But now let US picture the sort of
world they may face If science is
successful.
The picture is far different one.
If science is successful, the popula-
ton Of the world may be 10000 mil
lions by 2026 and yet the world will
not be crowded.
Mankind is tied to the earth today
He must wait for his food to grow
from seeds planted in the earth.
He must dig his fuel out of the
earth.
re a.,
maximum which can be supported
from the earth.
4 New Freedom
But science hopes to free mankind
from the earth.
The world Of 2O26 will present a
strange appearance therefore, il
science succeeds.
Food will be produced in factories
Such farms as do remain will be
maintained by people who desire
them as hobbies.
There will be no need for mines or
oil fields, as mankind will have new
power sources.
The vast amount Of energy sent Us
nv the sun will be caught and utiliz-
ed.
The energy contained in the electri
city Of the atmosphere will be used
Similarly, the energy locked up in the
atoms of matter will be set free.
Big cities will be thing OF the
past in 2026. The positions Of the
big cities today are dictated by
proximity to farm regions. MINING
regions and by the structure Of land
and water routes.
BY 2O2G it will be poss ible to locate
fbod factory or factory for gen
Grating power anywhere. Travel will
be chiefly by the air.
Therefore. men will no longer en-
durc the noises and traffic jams and
high rents of London or NexA York
but will spread out more evenyiover
tho earth in great numbers of small
err cities.
COmmuting hv ArpIane
Many people will live in the open
country. making a daily Journey Of
100 or 200 miles by airplane just as
At present men live in the suburbs
and drive eight or ten miles by auto
70 Offices in the city.
Perfection Of the helicopter will
make it possible for these air-com-
mutsrs TO land easily upon the tops
Of office buildings.
The gold standard will probably be
superseded BY an arbitrary standard
agreed upon internationally: This
II because methods of transmitting
sthof clements into gold will be per-
fec1od.
These methods, however, will pro
bablY not be used to manufacture
Iaueh gold, but to manufacture such
Aan1Sants a are particularly needed