Population Movements by Robert R. Kuczynski, and: World Population: Past Growth and Present Trends by A. M. Carr-Saunders, and: Analysis of the Stages in the Growth of Population in Canada by M. C. MacLean, and: World Immigration, with Special Reference to the United States by Maurice R. Davie, and: Human Migration: A Study of International Movements by Donald R. Taft (review)

REVIEWS OF BOOKS PopulationMovements. By ROB•,RTR. KUCZYNSK•. Oxford: At the Clarendon Press. 1936. Pp. [iv], 121. (5s.) World.Population:.PastGrowthand .Present Trends. By A.M. CAI•I•-SA•Nt•EaS. Oxford: At theClarendon Press. 1936. Pp.xvi, 336. ($3.75) AnalysisoftheStages in theGrowth ofPopulationin Canada. By M. C. MACLEAlg. (Canada,DepartmentofTrade andCommerce,DominionBureauof Statistics, EducationStatisticsBranch.) Ottawa: 1935. Pp. 53 (planographed). WorldImmigration,with SpecialReference to the UnitedStates. By MAUI•CE R. DAWE. New York: The Macmillan Company. [Toronto: The Macmillan Companyof Canada.] 1936. Pp. xii, 588. ($3.75) Human Migration: A Study of InternationalMovements.By DO.•ALDR. Ta.wr. (Sociology Series,ed. by R. D. McI•s?m.) New York: The RonaldPress Company. 1936. Pp. xxvi, 590. ($4.00) TEATthe populationof the westernworldis nolongerreproducing itselfandmust sooneror later begin to declineis made abundantly clear by modernstudiesof populationtrendssuchas the first three bookslisted above. So obviousis the fact that it is resultingin a markedchangeof emphasison the part of writerson the subject. Up to the present, the economy of the white peopleshas been predicatedupon the basisof a constantincreasein numbers,but the problemof the future will be to fit our economicand socialinstitutions to a shrinkagein humanity. Such questionsas birth-control,the small family, and immigration may in consequence be expectedto be, in the future, subjectswhich demanda differentkind of attention from that whichthey currently receive. Of the booksherelisted,only Mr. MacLean'sstudy bearsdirectlyon Canada, but in all of them some mention of Canada is made. The references,however, are,with the exceptionof Mr. Kuczynski's,either perfunctoryor inadequate,and displaynofirst-handknowledge of Canadianproblems. Mr. Kuczynski'slittle work is a modelof compression and lucidity. He comes to the conclusion that mortality cannotbe muchfurther reducedand that if a decliningpopulationisto beavoidedthe birth-rate mustbeincreased. He believes that its steady declineis causedalmostentirely by birth-control, which in turn restsupona publicopinionwhichhasdecided that manychildren arenota blessing, that manycountries areoverpopulated, andthat asa resultthereisunemployment. He has no difficulty in showingthat there is little relation betweenthe sizeof a populationand prosperity, that, in fact, a decliningpopulation will causemore unemploymentthan it relieves. Mr. MacLean's study displaysthe usual competence of its author. It is severelyobjectiveand mostguardedin its conclusions, but it tendsto showthat in Canada at least, peoplemove quickly from localitiesin which opportunitiesare few to thosein whichthey are morenumerous and that growthin populationhas occurredmainly as a result of this. Districts are settled, "fill up", and then the populationeitherremainsstationaryor, if toomanyhavecomein for theprevailing standards to be maintained, it declines. The idea in all the other books that Canada is naturally one of the countriessuitablefor immigration is hardly borne out by the conclusion that foryearspastthe netemigrationof Canadians hasbeen equalto the net immigrationof otherpeoples. Canada,in fact, is the only nation in the worldwhichis at oncea leadingcountryof immigrationand of emigration. This is anotherway of sayingthat the populationis probablythe mostnomadic 428 REVIEWS OF BOOKS 429 in the world. This study shouldbe read with thoseof its author and Professor Hurd in the Canadianpapers preparedfor theYosemiteConference of the Institute of PacificRelationsin 1936,and alsowith the paper by Mr. MacLean and Dr. A. W. Turner in the Canadian journal of economics and politicalscience of May, 1937. Mr. Carr-Saunders's bookis a generalsurveyof populationti'endsthe world over,and is not a pieceof originalresearch. Its approachis almostpurelystatistical and logical,and its lack of knowledgeof the "new countries",with its consequent neglect of geographical factorssuchasavailableland,climate,etc.,appears patent. For example,apart from the statisticaltables used,there is hardly a statementin it about Canadawhichwouldappealto localknowledge as being valid. He says definitely that economicopportunity has little effect on the growthof populationandseems to be underthe impression that thereisin Canada a vast amountof landwaitingfor the settler. Experience in all the newcountries would tend to provethat wherethere are opportunitiesfor life, they are quickly takenadvantageof, andthat thereisnoneedto worryabouta declining population if there is land available which is suitablefor settlement. It is ignoranceof the true situationin Canadawith respectto availableland that leadspeopleto make the assertion that Canadais a sparselypopulatedcountry. If in makingcalculationsof the numberof peopleper squaremile, only the habitableareasof Canada wereto be taken, the population,while not dense,wouldbe very muchabovethe twoorthreepersquaremileusuallygivenin thetables. Sowith the UnitedStates: its effective area is much less than its total area. Hence Mr. Carr-Saunders's assertionthat the United States and the dominionsought to consentto receive Europeanimmigrants onsomething like...