Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-01-02
Population and Tomorrow

some value to ponder few Of the impli-
cations of our country's growth in popu-
lation. During the past IL months. we
Americans have increased our numbers
by upwards Of % million, and comparable
annual gains are likely to continue
through the coming decades.
We have only to think about it
little to appreciate the supreme impor-
lance of this fact, socially, politically.
economically and otherwise. At the mo-
ment our total national population is
almost 1877 million, and 1t is climbing at
rate of bit more than % million every
ten years. Accordingly, If that rate con-
tinues as expected, our country will be in
habited by at least 1875 million people in
1865, by 22S million in 1875, by 251 million
in 1885. and by close to 800 million at the
end of the century, which is not very far
away in terms of the fast flight of time.
Our American numbers thus are
multiplying at pace that is matched by
few other countries in a world whose
overall population is increasing by well
over 200 million each decade-an increase
in which ours represents In excess Of 10
per cent. Already we are the fourth most
populous Of nations, ranking after China,
India and the Soviet Union in that order.
Quite obviously, as far as the future
international balance of power is con-
cerned, this tremendous prospective en-
largement of mankind (before the CEN
fury ends there will be about ! billion
more human beings than exist today has
significance that can scarcely be exag-
gerated. And the Cassandras-who tend
to minimize the food-raising potentiali-
ties that are still to be exploited-can
read the darkest kind of meanings into
It,
However, when 1t comes to matters
like food and general material well-being,
the pessimists certainly have no reason
to wiring their hands over the future Of
strikingly more populous America. For
our country, unlike most other lands, has
been blessed by Providence with an
abundance of natural resources, and 1t
has enjoyed-along with its population
groWth-an amazing, steady and con-
tinuing increase In agricultural and in
dustrial output and productivity. AS
result, according to studies by such or
CARNATIONS as the Bookings Institution,
there is solid ground for the belief that
our national economy can and will sup
port as many as 300 million people on a
Living plane several times
higher than the very high one that makes
us the envy Of all the world today. Yet,
despite this dazzling prospect, our demo-
cratic society can Ill afford to be SNUG,
for it may we'll suffer great stresses and
strains as its numbers multiply by scores
OF millions from decade to decade.
Unfortunately, for example, not all
people are lawabiding The more of
them there are, the more crime there Is,
and the more need for more policing.
Further, in our fast-growing country, we
must reckon with the nightmarish po-
tentialitieS of millions and millions of
additional automobiles pouring into our
observation-disclosures highway system and
into our cities, which even now are almost
at wits end in trying to handle traffic.
And we must think also of such important
things as our present deficient school
facilities and the shortage of teachers.
How will our educational structure ac-
commodate the oncoming armies of the
yet unborn?
Clearly, viewed in relation to prob
lens of this sort, our prospective increase
in population promises to be not quite
an unmixed blessing. True, It's real
impact-an impact that will surely effect
profound changes in the life of our
Nation-will be felt not by us so much
as by our children and our childrens
children. But we have responsibility to
take whatever action we can-now, today
to prepare the way for what is coming.
OenerWlse, IN Su6n . schools and
highways, our corn: likely to find
ltse1 In bad - s. some not-too-
distant tomorrow.