Race-Suicide? By G. F. McCleary. (Allen and Unw:n. 6s.) As
he has demonstrated by his earlier writings, Dr. McCleary is one of the sanest and soundest authorities on what is commonly known as the population question. His new book constitutes as competent and serviceable a contribittion to the discussion as could be desired. At a moment when it is announced that the leading Swedish authority on the subject has been invited to give evidence before the Royal Commission presided over by Lord Simon, the chapter devoted to the important pioneer work carried out in Sweden IS of particular value. But the most valuable feature of Dr. McCleary's book is that he has got something more constructive than family allowances and other economic palliatives to suggest.. The only hope of arresting the disturbing fall in the birth-rate is to secure recognition of some moral and patriotic incentive to the production of families of three or four children. That means, as Dr. McCleary suggests in his first chapter on "The Pursuit of Happiness," antne revision of popularly current values, and some realisation that if this country has ahy contribution to make to the evolution of the world it is essential that it shall retain its vigour and its numbers—for the ,fallacy that "quality without quantity ". is an attainable ideal is convincingly exposed in Dr. McCleary's wholesome and stimulating pages„
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