DECLINING BIRTH RATE.

Evening Star, Issue 22571, 12 February 1937, Page 13

DECLINING BIRTH RATE.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir,—Mr G. A. Herring opens up a subject full of interest. Our old world has been going along too long, and has by natural methods kept her population within limits. That does not warrant our action to increase or decrease population. Rather than dwell upon the numerical we should direct our attention to the physical and mental, and thus improve the stock of those we have and those to come. Ido not agree that large families should be encouraged. To subsidise them would be to increase the size of families. What is better is to spread more evenly the reproduction of the human species. That would naturally benefit men and women of maturity, ito bear children in reason is natural, and improves'health. Childless homes lack joys, bub overcrowded families are just as lacking in happiness through the poverty’ and distress which can be caused. Professor Julian Huxley and the leading scientists are now directing attention to eugenics and the need of race improvement, since Britain is a C 3 nation. I am diverting Mr G. A. Herring’s subject from the quantity to the quality factor, and believe we should pay particular attention to race improvement, just as farmers improve herds and stock by studying pedigree. _ There is absolutely no check on marriage. Any imbecile or idiot may marry and reproduce his kind. Would Mr G. A. Herring subsidise these? There is no greater crime I can imagine than to bring into this world people who will be a burden to themselves and a continual community charge. Our mental hospitals are full of wrecks of humanity that past Governments have permitted. If ail couples had large families and Nature thins them out by wars, disease, and strife there will be wars, rumours of wars, and misery indescribable. Moderation in all things is necessary, even in child production.—l am, etc., B. E. Kite. February 12.