Evening star., 1939-07-23

LdSU year FRANCE naQ 50 ,OUU more
deaths than births. At the 1888 birth
rate it is estimated that France will
decline in population from AZ 600 900 to
28ooo,00o during the next so years. In
the meantime, the populations of Ger
many and Italy are on the increase.
Germany added 100000 to her already
large population Qess unnumbered re-
regions by 425,000
These facts have aroused the French
government to action. "A depopulated
country" says Premier Daladier, can
not be free country. 1t is route open
to invasion, prey offered to covetous-
ness" Hitler and Mussolini are doing
everything in their power to increase
the birth rate, and it seems Premier
Daladier will throw his temporary die
ment in France.
This international cradle race, this
struggle for mere numbers at almost
any price, may be as alarming to the
student of population as the armament
race is to the statesman. Germany and
Italy are already at the population "ex-
plodlng" point, to use one of MuSSo-
lini's expressions, and even France
could improve the economic welfare of
her masses If she had as much as Is
per cent fewer people Were it not for
the fear of the increasing populations
of the totalitarian states France would
not be 50 keen for this cradle compe-
tition. But the military leaders see dan
ger and the diplomats call full steam
ahead" for the birth rate to meet this
threat to Frances national security.
The student Of population may ask
himself is it wise for France to try to
increase her numbers at this time. She
cannot hope to catch up with Germany
which has a population twice her size.
Then If France is expecting war within
the next IS years, what good will a
higher birth rate now or during the next
Is years do her. Babies cannot carry
rifles or fly airplanes, and they must
be cared for by others at considerable
expense to the nation.
Birth Rate and Cost.
THE birth rate may be said to &C
casion national overhead COST" says
Professor J. J. Spengler, perhaps the
foremost authority on Frances popula-
ton problem in this country. when the
birth rate is high this overhead cost
is relatively high when the birth rate
is low the cost is low. This volume of
cost is illustrated by Levin who esti-
mates that during the first decade of the
Goth century the French people saved
annually at least $4,000 900 900 they could
not have saved had their birth rate
been as high as that of Germany"
1t might be added that the higher
birth rate of Germany during the 10
years before the World War which cost
that country billions of dollars a year
more than the birth rate of France was
of practically no military value to Ger
many during the war. In fact, this
higher birth rate was distinct disad-
vantage because all of the babies born
we're dependents and were an economic
and military drag on the nation. Ger
many did not lose the war in the battle
field. but she was defeated by her hum
CRY masses behind the lines The
chances are that in the next war the
same thing will happen to both Ger
many and Italy. In time of war the
crowded peoples of Germany and Italy
are a greater danger to their own gov
ernments than they are to France. AL
ready hard-pressed for capital and
natural resources, a blockade such as war
would bring would soon cause a rebel
lion, if not a severe famine or pestilence
which might wipe out of existence tens
= of millions of people.
Were we living in the days of the
broad-sword, masses of population would
be an advantage during time of war.
THE fighting armies of the future" says
Col. J. F. c. Fuller in the Encyclopaedia
Britannica, will be voluntary, highly
professional and highly paid, conse-
quently small; this is the whole ten
dency of present-day military evolution"
Capt. B. H. Liddell Hart believes that
large. conscript mass armies will prove
nonutilizable in war. This authority
says: IF the maintenance of such
armies is straining the resources Of ma
tions in peace in war the attempt to
use them threatens bankruptcy"
age SOmpOSltlOH.
While Italy's population is slightly
larger than that of France, the age COM
position of the French people is more
favorable as far as producers, soldiers
and dependents are concerned. Italy's
higher birth rate during the past Is
years has given her large proportion
of dependents in the early age group
Frances population is almost stationary
and stationary population has larger
proportion of producers and men of
military age than an increasing popula-
ton. THE percentage of the French
population falling within the age group
.21-40 years." says Spengler, rose from
284 per cent in 1880 to 29.7 in 1870
and about 81 in 1881"
1t is said that because of her fear of
depopulation and invasion, France will
provide premiums for parents of numer-