Abstract
POLITICAL economists are generally agreed that, if a country is to be prosperous and to maintain its place among- the nations, its population must substantially and progressively increase. Two cardinal f tors are essential to ensure a satisfactory increase of population: (1) a birth-rate maintained at a proper level, and (2) a death-rate not excessive. A falling birth rate and an excessive mortality are both national calamities; indeed, it may be questioned if France would be quite in her present position had her birth rate equalled that of Germany. In France the birth rate, already ab normally low, fell from 23-5 per iooo> in 1887 to 1910 in 1914, while for Germany for the same years the figures were respectively 36-9 and: 28-3, with the result that during this period the population of France only increased from about 381 millions to 40 millions, whereas that of Germany increased from 49 millions to 65 millions.
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H., R. Infant and Child Mortality. Nature 100, 146–147 (1917). https://doi.org/10.1038/100146d0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/100146d0