Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-09-25
THE WORLDS POPULATION
BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN.

7 |
How long will the world be able
| to feed its population at the present
| rate of increase? Such was the sub
| ject of grave debate at a recent in
ternational conference at Geneva,
Switzerland, the seat of so many of
the world conferences of today.
Statistics were brought forward
showing that the number of people
in the world has doubled within the
last century. increasing from 900,
600, 900 to 1,S50,000,000 and that at
the present rate Of increase it should
approximate 5,000,000,000 within an.
other hundred years. That, it is
stated by some of the experts, is the
limit of population that can be sus-
tanned by the available food supply.
Indeed, some of those who take a
pessimistic view of the outlook say
| that the limit will be reached within
considerably shorter period If we
continue to progress a we have dur
ing the last two or three decades in
sanitation, control of epidemics, the
| reduction of infant mortality and the
increase in the average span of life.
The conference was supposed not
only to ascertain whether or not the
world is to become overpopulated,
but to develp remedial measures that
might be taken. 1t did not do much
along the latter line, however. Even
those who profess the greatest alarm
over the rate at which the human
| race Is multiplying do not seem to
know what is to be done about it.
There We're one or two birth control
advocates conspicuous in the Geneva
gathering, but little was heard of
their theories as a measure to avert
the overpopulation crisis.
The more hopeful view expressed
was that whatever the increase in the
number of people in the world, science
will succeed in developing new or
additional food supplies so that there
will be no danger Of world famine.
TillabIe Acreage Limited.
The number of tillable acres in the
world is, of course, limited. 1t is es-
timated at about $4,000, 100000 acres.
1t is also estimated that two and one
half acres are required to support an
individual as food Is produced at
present SO that fixes the limit of the
world population at around 5,000,-
900, 900. About two-fifths Of the world
acreage is now under cultivation,
which will take care of the present
population and 100, 900 900 or so moro.
Prof. E. M. East Of Harvard Uni.
versity, one of those at the confer
ence, who believes that the population
problem Is of immediate concern to
the globe, does not believe much can
be done in the way of developing new
| food supplies.
THE production of cheap synthetic
| food is a dream that will remain a
dream for generations" he declared.
II prefer to call it nightmare. The
potential food supply of the seas,
| lakes and streams is relatively unim-
| portant. The effort IF the human
| race to expand its numbers is limited
to the produce of about $4,000, 900 900
tillabe acres, and under present
standards Of agricultural efficiency it
| is clear that the world can sustain
| only 5000, 900, 900 people, unless I'M
foreseen changes occur in our eco
nomic system"
Others who participated in the dis.
cussion said there Wa no reason to
assume that under tie pressure of
| necessity the worlds economic system
| would not undergo radical changes,
and that science and improved agri.
cultural methods would solve the
population problem so readily that it
| would be recognized as real problem.
Large, or at least considerable, num-
bers of people are living on most of
the lands throughout the world which
are favorable for human habitation.
the principal exceptions to this being
Southern Siberia, Southern Brazil, Ar
gentina, Southeastern Australia and
South Africa. With these exceptions
the sparsely peopled areas are hot or
| cold deserts which cannot support
large populations, says II. M. Strong,
geographic expert of the Department
Of Commerce.
The fertile black soil strip across
| Southern Siberia, he says, can sup
port a fairly dense population, but
those lands in. Asia which are at
present almost vacant will for the
most part continue sparsely in
habited. This includes the greater
part of Siberia and Northern Euro
pean Russia and the desert of West
ern China. Arabia. the Sahara, South
west Africa and the interior Of Aus
tralia are deserts which can never be
well people.
Room i'm South America.
South America offers great deal
/ Of room for increase in the worlds
population. for the continent is on
the whole sparsely settled. The vast
unsettled region. of Brazil and BO-
liVia, near the Equator, will not
acquire a dense population under
present conditions, however, and the
southern part of Argentine, except
near the Andes, Is relatively dry.
/ The section west of the Pampas is
also deficient in rainfall, irrigation
being necessary to produce crops.
Three island areas of the world.
England. Java and Japan, are notable
for their dense population, England's
being due to industrial development,
Japan's to intensive agriculture and
more recently manufacturing, and
Java's to exceptional natural re-
sources and stable political condi-
tons over a period of years. Eng
land has 70f.3 people to the square
mile. Java. 6S2.5, and Japan, 1924.