Jasper County Democrat, Volume 19, Number 36, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 August 1916 — World Will Always Be Able to Support Its Population [ARTICLE]

World Will Always Be Able to Support Its Population

By JOHN M. HESS of Chicago

Government statistics show that approximately 1,500,000,000 acres of land are subject to cultivation—an area equal to 32 states as large as Illinois. These statistics further show that an area jequal to about thirteen such states is being cultivated. All the rest, or 19 states, lies unplowed. That is to say, only three-eighths of the land susceptible of cultivation in the United States are now under cultivation. Oh, the need there is and the room there is for the millions that are bgiug slaughtered in Europe! the same'statistics show that a farmer of today can and does produce 28 times as much as a farmer could produce 100 years ago. These facts, well established and certain, thunder forth the falsity of the Malthusian theory. The earth can and will support its population not only now but for all time to come. In America we believe that we can take care of the entire population of the earth and do it better than it is now being done. This is the verv opposite of the Malthusian theory, which prompts men to kill each other. IVhat folly is this Malthusian theory, when we stop to think that the entire population of the earth could live in the single state of Texas, in families of five, and still have a half acre to the family!