Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-07-14

the world population increased by
172 million to a total of 1851 ,000,-
600. with Asia. Africa and Latin
America accounting for more than
four-flfths of THIS increase.
The 1858 population listing of
582,603.417 was the most recent
U. N. statistic on China which,
like all Communist states is I'M
cooperative in divulging official
statistics to the world organiza-
ton. However. one Topographic
expert here, who described the UNI
coiling of China's population as
phenomenal" estimated the pres
ent total at well over 600 million
as compared to the l948 total of
463, 493, 900.
Three Reasons Cited
The report says that such rapid
growth of population in the under
developed countries has an i'm
mediate effect of retarding prog
ress for three reasons:
oThe high birth rate creates a
heavy load Of dependent children
for members of the working popu-
lation who may be getting a bigger
income but. have more mouths to
feed. The report states that chill
dren is years or under make up
40 per cent or more Of the total
population of the countries of
Asia, Africa and Latin America.
OThe problem of capital shortage
is aggravated. The faster the pop
ulation grows, the larger the share
Of each years income which must
be invested in increasing the stock
of productive equipment merely
to maintain the existing level of
equipment per worker.
. The increased pressure of pop
ulation on land already densely
settled has the immediate effect
Of retarding farm productivity.
A chain reaction of other prob
lens has been set in motion by
the rapid growth of population,
says the report.
To avoid the threat of wide
spread unemployment, it says, new
job opportunities must be created.
In some countries, it adds, the
number of employment oppor-
tunities will have to be doubled
in 20 years, if the labor force
continues to grow at the present
rate.
"A dramatic increase" in food
supplies will be needed to feed
the rapidly expanding world popu-
lation.
Cities Are Swollen
The pressure of population
combined with the beginning Of
an industrialization process has
precipitated a mass movement Of
scores of millions of families from
the villages to the cities, the study
shows. 1t reports:
THE population living in large
cities in Africa and Asia has
multiplied more than five times
IN the present century and prom
ises to continue growing at an
extremely high rate"
It describes the growth of cities
in these regions as explosive" and
chaotic" breeding increase
crime, disrupted family life and
slums, congestion and new cul-
tural patterns for millions who
have been swept along in the
stream Of population shifts.
The presence in city Of a
large mass Of unstable, underpaid
and ill-housed people presents a
constant danger of mob violence"
the report says.
There have recently been many
alarming examples of the readi-
ness Of the men and youths in
the cities in less-developed regions
to relieve the Illustrations arising
from poverty and poor adjustment
to city life by explosions of mob
violence. The immediate causes
may be political, economic. re-
ligious or racial but the results are
often indiscriminate killings and
destruction Of property without
much relevance to the original
issue"
Skill Is Locking
Rural laborers moving to the
city not only lack skill and ex-
perience In modern conditions Of
work, the report points out, but
also generally lack the educational
basis for acquiring new skills The
result is a high labor turnover.
low productivity, which. with an
oversupply Of unskilled labor.
helps to maintain wages at a
very low level"
AS for the children Of families
moving to the city. the report de-
scribes them as being caught be-
tween the new culture and the
old. their position in life "apt to
become especially uncertain and
precarious" with a resultant in
crease in juvenile delinquency
In addition to all this, the great
shift Of population from the rural
10 the urban areas in the UNDER
developed countries has been ac-
companied by a transfer of the
poverty and unemployment OF the
village to the city.
Referring to these problems OF
urbanization. the ofiicial U. N. re-
port concluded: 1T is obvious
that in Africa. Asia and Latin
America a Transformation Of
great proportions is taking place
and posing the most difficult ques-
tons Of social policy"