26 OCTOBER 1934, Page 18

IN VIEW OF A DWINDLING 'POPULATION

[To the Editor of THE SPECTATOR.] Snt.,--In Your valuable article, " In view of a dwindling' pOpulation," you say that " we cannot contemplate -a reduction of the population by twelve millions in the next forty years without misgivings." Yet about a decade Ugo. a leading ConserVative newspaper was maintaining that Great Britain would be better with ten million fewer inhabitants: In any case the great thing. needed is that, so far as possible; no woman of the very poor classes should have more than tWo- children, and legislation be passed to make all the systems of birth control (notably abortion) available to them ; for it is,

. as you usefully suggest, most undesirable that the less fit should be more fertile than the others. A dwindling popii- . . . lation–l-which, by reversing the agricultural law of diminishing returns, should mean a prospering population—in all the European , countries will doubtless unite them in a defensWe federation which will make them - secure although " the Eastern races, and especially the Japanese, will still be iiialtiplying."—I am, Sir, yours respectfully,

91 Bouverie Road W., Folkestone. B. DUNLOP.