A FAMINE IN YOUTH

Greymouth Evening Star, 26 October 1929, Page 2

A FAMINE IN YOUTH

POSITION OF BRITAIN. UnknoAvn to most of us, Ave are nearing the greatest social change that this country has ever seen. Ahead, and not far ahead, looms a famine in youth. By 1930 Avill begin a shortage of adolescents that Avill ultimately have far-reaching effects, says a Avriter in “Tit-Bits.” OAving to the Avar —Avhich, it is calculated, doomed 25,000,000 Avomen in Europe to lifelong spinsterhood—and still more to the influenza epidemic that folloAved it, as Avell as to other factors, there has been a great falling off in the number of children “comingon” in this country. Four years ago the Board of Education reported that there were a million feAver children in our elementary schools than there were before the Avar, and since then the decrease has gone steadily at the rats of 100,000 a year. Yet Avith the heavy fall in the number of children there has been a great increase in the number of twins and triplets born. Till a feAv years ago multiple births were curiously localised. A certain street in Deptford used to claim the distinction of being the quarter ip Avhich most twins Avere born, and not long ago there Avere in Cherry Drove, on the outskirts of London, a pair of tAvins to every third house. The same peculiarity extended to counties, Lancashire came first for tivins, Liverpool making the largest contribution, and then followed London, Avith Yorkshire a poor third. But during the last five years multiple birth have increased everyAvhere, even in counties Avhere tAvins used to be rare. At several London hospitals the number of tAvins born this year Avill probably constitute a record. This tendency to multiple births is not confined to Britain. It exists in all parts of the civilised world, and the scientists are unable to account for the phenomenon.

Still, a famine of youth is inevitable, and its effects, which will include a' great, if not alarming, decrease in the number of recruits for the labour market, will be intensified by an increase in the number of elderly people. Most elderly people were born at a time when the birth rate was going up by leaps and bounds, and for years the standard of health has been improving, with a consequent reduction in the death rate. So the proportion of persons who reach seventy is steadily increasing. When will it remain constant or nearly so? According to calculations made by the Government auditor for old age pension purposes the number of persons over seventy will increase as follows:—1931, 1,940,000. 1941, 2,436,000; 1951, 3,030,400. Apparently, therefore, the army of people over seventy will grow for many years. At all events, great changes in our population are close at hand. In it youth will bulk less and age more, and Sir Robert Blah’ has estimated that by 1932 there will be two million fewer workers than there would have been under the old conditions. Will life be. easier or harder for youth? How will the bigger proportion of the aged and non-productive element of the population affect those who are beginning the battle of life?