The Daily Alaska empire., 1938-07-21
The Population Report
(New York Times)

As the human body is tissue of cells so is the nation structure of it's individuals. The trends of this mass social economic and biological are the measure of the nations health and vitality. The sur vey of the National Resources Committee into Prob lems of a Changing Population" transmitted to the President is an exhaustive and thoughtful diagnosis of the present condition of the American people and forecast of their future Its main conclusion is that the United States is approaching maturity and can look forward to vigorous middle age.
 Perhaps the most striking feature of the report is the prediction that our population will reach maximum peak of 15800O0O0 within fifty years There will then be period stabilization followed by slow decrease. Indeed the committee estimates that certain tendencies may bring the population peak for ward to 1885 with maximum of 139 9000000 and loss of 100000O0 in the next quartercentry No occasion for alarm is felt in either event. There is for the nasty adoption of any measure to stimulate population growth in this country says the report either by raising the birth rate or by lowering our immigration standards
 The most salient feature of the survey is con- sderation of the condition of people when they reach their peak of numbers. They will then have come of age. Here the committee quotes the Min nesota State Planning Board There is in sense a cause for gloom The period of middle age may be for nation for an individual the most productive and happest period of existence We are however face to face with the sober and thought-provoking necessity for developing way of life for mature community"
 The vast churnng, the marches and counter marches, the rise and fall of the economic pulse in a land and people various baffling Nevertheless, certain trends begin to appear. The frontier is gone The land is occupied. The rate of growth is fallirR off During the depression it dropped by half from the previous decade and even then it was sackening. But in the years from 1921 to 1925 babies in proportion to the population were born than will probably be born again in the United States We may picture these children as the crest of a declining wave sweeping down the years and conditioning every phase of life they touch They will reach marrageabe age about 1945, when they will become the pioneers of new future.
 But the death rate is also falling. The nations health, except for alarming increase of mental ailments is better This means a continuing rise in the ratio of older workers to younger adults competition, perhaps more misery among the old though not necessarily So problems relating to the welfare of persons past middle age becoming in creasngly urgent" Means must be found to spread enjoyment into the downhil side of life.
 Not all the signs rosy Most children still born in backward areas. The most advanced and intelligent members of the community still have the smallest families. For most of retrograde trends the committees firm recommendation is equalization of opportunity economic and educa- tional On the whole it's view of the future is opti mstic It believes transition stationary popu aton may be beneficial leaving to enjoy the largest individual share of natural resources in the world and if use those resources wisely the highest standard of living