THE DECLINING BIRTH RATE 123 



modem times, and one which must be absolutely stopped at the 

 earliest moment if we do not slowly but surely go to destruction." 

 Germany, however, is apparently in no greater danger of race 

 suicide than several of her rivals. It is from France that we hear 

 the greatest lamentations over decreasing fecundity, because the 

 danger to national security from this source is imminent. ^^Doit 

 elle mourir?^' " Le suicide d'un race,^'' "Le Probleme de la depopu- 

 lation" are the titles of some of the recent publications whose 

 names are suggestive of the pessimistic tone of their contents. 

 Whether the population of France will slowly decrease, no one 

 can say. For the sake of the world as well of France it is to be 

 hoped that some way will be found to check this decline in the 

 birth rate of a people who have contributed so much to the 

 advancement of civilization. 



Other nations are rapidly approaching the birth rate of France, 

 but if their fecundity does not sink below what is necessary to 

 maintain their population there is nothing to regret in this fact. 

 When the world becomes as full of people as it can well support, 

 it would indeed be a great misfortune for the birth rate to con- 

 tinue high. When the globe is supporting its maximum popula- 

 tion the number would have to be kept within bounds either by 

 increased mortality, or by decreased fecundity, and the latter 

 method is certainly the less disagreeable. 



The chief defense that is made of the former method with all 

 the misery it entails, is that it affords an indispensable means of 

 racial advance. In all ages the pressure of population with its 

 consequent tendency of peoples to overflow their boundaries has 

 been a potent cause of war, — in fact it has made war almost 

 inevitable. It may be urged with much reason that the birth rate 

 of superior peoples should be kept high in order that they may 

 conquer and supplant inferior types. The effect of such conflict 

 under modern conditions would be to lead, through the elimina- 

 tion or amalgamation of subject peoples, to an eventual domin- 

 ance of a comparatively homogenous race. When this point is 

 reached conflict between political groups of much the same blood 

 would have much less biological significance than it has to-day. 



