| OCR Text |
Show FACT BOOK-1972 44 on Population Growth and the Ameri findings: We have found no convincing arguments for continued na tional population growth. On the contrary, the plusses seem to be on the side of slowing growth and eventually stopping it altogether. Indeed there might be no reason to fear a decline in population once we are past the period of growth that is in store.'? the Presidential Commission can Future summarized its " ... Many authorities recognize the population explosion world problem. as a major • "Too many cars, too many factories, too much detergent, too much pesticide, multiplying contrails, inadequate sewage treatment all can be plants, too little water, too much carbon dioxide . traced easily to too many people." • "Our spacecraft not invent a . DR. PAUL EHRLICH The we . Population Bomb called the Earth is way to reduce Every human institution ... reaching its capacity. Can population growth to zero? should set this as its prime task." our ... DR. LEE DuBRIDGE Science Advisor to the President November 23, 1969 • In 1798, Thomas Malthus predicted ultimate disaster since pop ulation would increase faster than food supplies until limited war, famine, disease, and a general breakdown of law and order cur tailed it.2 • Dr. Paul Ehrlich of Stanford, has argued that, "Hundreds of millions of people are going to starve to death unless plague, ther monuclear war, or some other agent kills them first. Many people will starve to death in spite of any crash programs we might em bark upon now. And we are grams." not embarking upon any crash pro Norman Borlaug, who received the Nobel Prize for the develop wheats, stated that the most enlightened agricultural technological advances cannot relieve the necessity of grappling forthrightly and promptly with population growth. • ment of new The demographic facts • Today there are are shoekinq» 3.5 billion persons on the earth. J |
