DECLINE IN POPULATION

Evening Star, Issue 22571, 12 February 1937, Page 9

DECLINE IN POPULATION

DANGER TO THE EMPIRE BACHELOR TAX SUGGESTED Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright LONDON, February 10. The House of Commons discussed the birth rate ou the motion of Air J. R. Cartland (Con.), who expressed the opinion that the decline in population would possibly endanger the maintenance of the Empire, and urged a Government inquiry. Air R. A. Pilkington (Con.) suggested a bachelor tax, and said he had learned with horror that there were 200 bachelor members of tho House of Commons. (Cries of “Shame!”) It was a situation which members should remedy. (Laughter.) Air D. Sandys (Con.) averred that the decline in the birth rate was most marked in the sparsely-populated dominions. No one wanted a larger population for cannon fodder, but it must be obvious that an Empire whose population was declining was a vulnerable mark. He thought that the birth rate would increase if the danger of war was eliminated. Air R. S. Hudson, on behalf of the Government, accepted tho motion. He said the actual birth rate for the past 10 years showed a slight rise. FAMILY ALLOWANCES A REMEDY LONDON, February 10. The population of England will be only 20,000,000 a century hence, and 5,000,000 in 200 years, said Sir William Beveridge, director of tho London School of Economics, at Sheffield. He explained that though the population to-day was increasing slowly it would some years hence begin to fall by a quarter in each generation, and ultimately become extinct. The threatened decline could be slowed down somewhat through a decline in infant mortality and increased marriages, but the only way of stopping it was for parents to have more children. Sir William prophesied that the question of family allowances would soon be in the forefront of the social policy.