Assuming that 40 per cent, of the land surface of
the world is fit for food production, Mr. Johnson estimates that there is room in the world for about 5,200,000,000 people. In less than a hundred years, therefore, we shall have reached the saturation point. Mr. Johnson con- cludes his article by making an appeal for birth control :— " The only practical way of correcting the differential birth-rate is to instruct all classes in contraceptive methods. There is no reason for-thinking that-any class would deliberately choose race
suicide.' The love for children is too deeply implanted. But the poor would not so often be plunged into deeper poverty by exces- sively large families. Fewer children, better loved and better pre- pared for life, would be the net outcome of voluntary instead of accidental parenthood. There may be objections to this position on theological grounds, but there can be none on the ground of morals based upon humanity and the public interest."
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