DANGER TO EMPIRE

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 84, 6 October 1938, Page 10

DANGER TO EMPIRE

FALLING BIRTH-RATE

RURAL LIFE DECLINING

(By Air Mail, from "The Post's" Lqjidon

Representative.)

LONDON, September 8.

Sir Leonard Hill, Director of Research at St. John's Clinic and Institute of Physical Medicine, delivered the presidential address to the Sanitary Inspectors' Association at Edinburgh.

The danger to the Empire through declining population and the loss of millions through preventible ill health were two of the topics dealt with by him.

"The Government," said Sir Leonard, dealing with the population problem, "should act at once, and, on the lines found successful by Germany, stop the decay of the British Empire which is now going on through birth control." Britain's birth-rate, 35.4 in 1890, was now less than 15 per 1000. In all the democratic countries of Europe the birth-rate was under 15, while Germany had raised her rate to 19. Italy's rate was 22. Japan increased her population by about 1,000,000 a year.

It had been estimated that by 1951 the number of children in • England and Wales would have fallen from 9,500,000 in 1931 to 5.500,000, while people aged 45 and over would have increased by 2,500,000.

"The British race," Sir Leonard said, "is on the down grade all over the world, and it is not due to crowding, because in Australia and New Zealand the birth-rate has fallen to under 17."

Commenting on the numbers leaving agriculture every year for other work —about 10,000 —Sir Leonard said: "There is no doubt that the peasant who is not overtaxed has the happiest life. Open-air work in natural surroundings makes for health and content never attained by many of the richest men of the city with flabby bodies and tired hearts."- Who, he asked, would pay the interest on local loans and armament loans when young workers became much fewer, and who would fill the defence forces?