DECLINE IN THE BIRTH-RATE 205 



But those who feel this desire should not forget 

 that man does not live by bread alone ; that religion, 

 philosophy, art, literature, science — in short, all things 

 and more that are implied in that fine old term " the 

 humanities " — are what really distinguish man from 

 the lower animals, and make the difference between 

 civilization and barbarism. 



It is of little use for a community that seeks to be 

 self-supporting to supply itself with bread and boots, if 

 it has to take its philosophy of life from the outside 

 world, and deliberately to forego the glories of a 

 national art and literature. It is thus more truly 

 parasitic on other States than any imports of corn or 

 wine or oil can make it. 



Again, Canada, unlike some of the other British 

 Dominions, is a country which seeks to attract colonists 

 to fill up its vacant spaces. The newly settled districts 

 have a very low birth-rate, and the difficulty of obtaining 

 domestic servants is great ; though in this case it is 

 not to be ascribed to legislative interference against 

 any form of so-called "white labour." But apparently 

 the Canadian farmer can absorb an unlimited quantity 

 of the slum population of Great Britain, when once 

 that population has got through those years of infancy 

 and childhood that require constant parental care. 

 There is a great demand for partially trained boys and 

 girls, old enough to help in the households and home- 

 steads and young enough to adapt themselves easily to 

 the new surroundings of life and labour. We can only 

 suppose that the difficulties connected with the rearing 

 of children in the present circumstances are so great 

 that other people's children, already reared and trained. 



