Evening star., 1942-05-20
Calls on Germans.
To Help Defeat Japan
Writer Discusses Difference
In Population Problems
OFT Axis Countries
TO the Editor Of The Star:


TO the Editor Of The Star:
We have read with interest in The
Star Miss Dorothy Thonpson's recent
column in which we are warned to
expect Hitler peace move based upon
an old German trick, namely. that If
the Nazi regime is beaten, Germany
will 60 Communistic.
There is much in Miss ThompSon's 3
article to agree with, but 1t seems to
this writer that unless the Nazi propa-
ganda Is accompanied by continued sue
cesses, as until recently 1t has been, it
Is likely to back-fire In the face OF Hitler,
and it should be our job to see that 1t
does exactly that
AS long as Hitler was conquering ter
ritory and had the advantage from an
armament and organization standpoint,
he could afford to talk peace or war as
he saw f1t, but now that he has been
thrown back in Russia and the United
Nations rapidly are gaining the ad-
vantage in armaments and air force,
Hitler is losing his power Of offensive,
and with 1t will go his propaganda
power and influence over the German
people.
Hitler had his big chance when he
caught the democracies unprepared. He
has conquered practically the whole of
Europe, but Europe is not self-supporting
and as the reserves Of Europe are used
up the standard Of living will go down.
This downward swing in the standard
Of living will be accelerated by the war,
capped of by air and land invasion.
Thus the Germans, and especially the
conquered people in Europe, will stand
to suffer more and more by a continue
ton OF the war. Do the peoples Of
Europe, even the Germans, want to be-
come completely exhausted while Japan
is conquering territory and resources in
the Pacific? This is the question that
we repeatedly should put into the Ger
mans minds
OF course, the Germans and the con-
quered peoples whom Hitler has forced
to tight for him. may be able to fight on
a while longer, but they will have little
chance Of defeating the growing power
OF the United Nations II by any chance
the Germans, the Italians and the force
ably allied peoples do succeed in weaken
ing the power of the United Nations,
they will be giving Japan q greater
chance to conquer the world.
The peoples of Europe ought to know
that they can expect not only mercy but
political freedom and some economic
support from the United Nations But
what can they expect from Japan or .
world dominated by Japan?
There is one other important reason
why we should launch an intellectual
offensive against Germany as soon as
possible. Both Germany and Japan be-
gan this war on the excuse that they
were overpopulated and needed more
resources with which to support their
peoples properly. On the surface it may
seem that the population problems Of
Germany and Japan are practically the
same. But study Of the age compost
tion and the birth rates of these two
countries will reveal that there is a
radical difference In the population prob
lem Of Germany and the population
problem Of Japan Briefly. the problem
In Germany can be solved to a large
extent or at least prevented from getting
any worse within 10 or IS years. On
the other hand, 1t may take 50 years
to prevent the population problem in
Japan from getting continuously worse
The reason for the above conclusion
Is that since the First World War the
net reproduction rate Of Germany has
been far below Replacement" level. A
net reproduction rate of 100 is replace
ment level. and Germany's rate has aver
aged about 80 since about 1915. At this
rate 1t would take about so years for
the population Of Germany to stop ex-
panding and Germany has already had
this rate for about 30 years. Were Ger
many's rate lowered a bit her population
would cease expanding in 10 or IS years
and the further increase might be offset
or cared for by increased technology
II Germany will stop this war now and
join with the peoples OF the United
Nations In defeating Japan and building
just society in Europe
But If Germany does not stop this
war now and help defeat Japan. she will
cause wastage of the resources and
power of the United Nations which are
vitality needed to build q decent society
in Europe.
Now let us consider the popula ton
problem in Japan for a moment. We
have said that 1t is radically different
from that in Germany While the net
reproduction rate Of Germany has aver
aged around 90 since the First World
War, the rate for Japan has averaged
around $50. (The total populations of
Germany and Japan are about equal)
As late as 1887 the rate for Japan was
IA, compared with 90 in Germany.