go on as we are doing
with the death-rate brought down to the level of England or Scotland? Is
there room enough in the country for the population to increase so fast
as 20 per 1000 every year? We are paying the inevitable penalty of
bringing into this world more persons than can be properly cared for,
and therefore if we wish fewer deaths to occur in this country the
births must be reduced to the level of the countries where the
death-rate is low. It is, therefore, our high birth-rate that is the
social danger; the high death-rate, however regrettable, is merely an
incident of our high birth-rate."[268]

Mr. Wattal then describes the cruel items in India's death-rate; the
tremendous female mortality, due largely to too early childbirth, and
the equally terrible infant mortality, nearly 50 per cent. of infant
deaths being due to premature birth or debility at birth. These are the
inevitable penalties of early and universal marriage. For, in India,
"everybody marries, fit or unfit, and is a parent at the earliest
possible age permitted by nature." This process is highly disgenic; it
is plainly lowering the quality and sapping the vigour of the race. It
is the lower elements of the population, the negroid aboriginal tribes
and the Pariahs or Outcastes, who are gaining the fastest. Also the
vitality of the whole population seems to be lowering. The census
figures show that the number of elderly persons is decreasing, and that
the average statistical expectation of life is falling. "The coming
generation is severely handicapped at start in life. And the chances of
living to a good old age are considerably smaller than they were, say
thirty or forty years ago. Have we ever paused to consider what it means
to us in the life of the nation as a whole? It means that the people who
alone by weight of experience and wisdom are fitted for the posts of
command in the various public activities of the country are snatched
away by death; and that the guidance and leadership which belongs to age
and mature judgment in the countries of the West fall in India to
younger and consequently to less trustworthy persons."[269]

After warning his fellow-countrymen that neither improved methods of
agriculture, the growth of industry, nor emigration can afford any real
relief to the growing pressure of population on means of subsistence, he
notes a few hopeful signs that, despite the hold of religion and
custom, the people are beginning to realiz