Evening star., 1935-10-06

growing population!"
That has been the cry in
Italy since Mussolini began prepara-
tions for his Ethiopian undertaking.
1t has been heard before-not only in
Italy, but in empire hungry Japan, in
Nazi Germany
Let us look at this question-let us
try to determine whether this problem
of population and space has no an
sWer save expansion, by force If nee
esSary.
1t is perfectly evident that at the
present time. as legacy of geography
and past history, the races and ma
tions share possession Of the worlds
areas irrespective of their populations.
Let us quote the extreme cases. in
opposite senses, of Germany, which
has 65 5,O00,OO inhabitants in an area
of l81 900. square miles, and of Aus
tralia, the 6,6OO,0OO inhabitants of
which have nearly 100000 square
miles at their disposal
Continent Monopolized.
This means that population
smaller than that of Greater London
enjoys a monopoly of a whole con-
tirent. Another British dominion,
Canada, is in a similar situation, as
are several South American countries.
In contrast are the crowded nations
of the world-Italy, Germany, Japan
which are overpopulated and short Of
land.
I'VE need more space" Mussolini
keeps repeating as he seeks to explain
his Ethiopian venture. But that ut
terance but family echoes the still
more brutal statements Of Adolf Hitler
in his famous book, "Mein Kampf,
which, although it was published
nearly IL years ago. can still be used
as a trustworthy key to the apparent
mysteries of German policy. In a
famous passage the Fuehrer empha-
sizes that the object of German policy
must be to secure a European area
adequate for the eventual settlement
of 250000,000 Germans-the figure
that, after not so many decades. in
his Judgment will be the practical
outcome of the medley of legislation
he has enacted or means to enact so
as to increase the breeding capacity
of his people.
Great Britain and France Gas well
as Russia, as far as Germany is con-
cerned) are certainly the main targets
Of those claims Both countries are
peaceful and even pacifist to the core.
Confronted with such vehement pro-
grams, they begin to ask themselves
whether it will be possible for them,
with declining or stationary birth
rates, to keep the vast eXpanSe OF
their oversee empires under their ma
tional flags for any great length Of
time.
In the United Kingdom, with an
area of $4,000 square miles, England
feeds with difficulty. by the means Of
q prodigiously efficient financial and
economic organization, about 46,000,-
900 people. German and Italian
critics deride her-England, they
shout, hasn't the nerve to compel
some of her unemployed to cross the
oceans and build a new home under
the British flag. But even if she were
willing to take the task in hand, she
would feel that it was almost impos-
sible to overcome the resistance OF the
dominions, the parts of the empire
which are the least populated. But
think what Hitler and Mussolinl
could do to get rid Of their difficulties
IL such huge spaces were within their
grasp! The whole world would gain
by it, they assert.
Why not endeavor to make clean
sweep of those dangerous territorial
questions which bid fair to plunge Eu-
rome into another war? Why not put
forward some scheme for the re-
shutting of the colonies-the WORD
must be taken in its broadest mean
ing?
The London press lately has harped
upon that theme with a surprising
insistence-all the more surprising
when one considers that at the peace
conference of 1919 our British friends
to say the least, did not evince any
SpCCldl ICCCptlNlty Oil tAAS SNHJNS~'
is enough to recall that Gen. Smuts
of South Africa, that unflinching CEN
sor of the treaty of Versailles, in 1918
set his mind against any suggestion
to return any part of her African.colo-
nies to Germany. Were the British
government willing to formulate con-
crete proposals, think they undoubt-
edly would be Of such nature that
they would be rejected with scorn by
the "landless" nations.
Algeria Part Of France.
AS for France, she considers hel
North African possessions necessary
prolongation of her European terri
tory-indeed, Algeria forms three de-
partments, or ordinary administrative
units, that send Senators and Deputies
to Paris in the regular manner. Bu1
for the conquest of Algeria hundred
years ago and the completion of hel
African empire up till 1914. Francs
might have fallen to the rank Of
secondary power.