Tus Grown ayo Drermnion or Porvisox-By'S. Vere Pearson, nea. ut, (Cambridge) noner. (Land) Allen Unwin, London. 2/6
This able and comprehensive book Sppeat mot only tothe soctologist the problems of population should
and economist, but to all Interested in the welfare of agricultural districts city development. The present feneration is learning to appreciate the fact that nothing influences. the growth and distribution of population much as do systems of land tenure and taxation, Inthe pre-industrial tra the distribution of population depended upon geographical conditions, Such as fertility, contour of the land, timate, accessibility. To-day these Primary influences are less important then they. were, owing to increased scientific knowledge applied to the Production of food, clothing and othe Commodities, as well as to transportation.
developing his thesis of the effect of land tenure and. taxation ripon population, Dr. Pearson has Wealth of illustrative material. The chapter onthe British colonies in Africa, shows the effect of govern: ment policies upon the development find growth. of vnallve populations. [Loss of land has. been invariably accompanied. by lose of population and a decline of physical. energy. [Australia and her emigration schemes fare but. the prelude, to" a well: fdlscussed section onthe throttling effects of private ownership. of natural resources and the pocketing Individuals of the values which the public create. Australie also. affords fin excellent iiustration of a coun-fry in which the people drift to the towns despite the existence of wide fertile unpeopted areas The causes of rural. depopulation, lot overcrowding into the oilles, and for slum housing are shown closely connected with government restrictions and taxes, and. with land: fordism. "The chapter on. ground values "and property appraisals enlightening. Chicago, New York, Pitsburg, Houston Texas and cities in England have been used as illu: strations. The interest of the author for more than twenty years. in. tip-porting the Garden Cities and Town: Planning Association shows. in his discussion of these methods of relieve ing the il distribution of population. People can now live twenty. miles {rom their workplaces as convenient: Iy'as they could, not many. years go, live two or' three miles away The result "has been spravling.sudurbs,_ ribbon. development" and. a disorderly arrangement of buildings 'The need for town and country plan: ning "has excited a new interest. the. last few decades. In England several Acts of Parliament have been assed to ald in town planning. 'The ulhor's treatment leads naturally 10 2 survey' of trathe. problems, upon which much of the distribution optilation must depend.
The Malthusian theory that popula tion will inevitably increase beyond powers of production is but one the theories shown to be untenable. The present day cures for unemployment, diminishing trade and fctuating prices will be Unsuccessful, the author shows, until they. are based upon a proper understanding of the development and use of the lend. The falling birth-rate, ils relationship. to death and marriage rates, and. the use of contraceptive devices is the subject of two penetrating chapters.
'The book touches upon all subjects connected with population, whether s0- cial, psychological, geographic, economic' OF political." It contains innes mature consideration, much insight, It was on December 8, 1934, that [Mr. and Mrs. Stam were martyred by Communists at Miaosheo, Anhwei. Both John and Elisabeth Slam wer: of godly parentage. Mr. Peter, Stam, Jonn's father, is a Netherlander by birth who, prosperous in his business, has always been active in good works and is the founder of the Star of Hope Mission in Paterson, New Jer~ sey. Daughter of Dr. and Mrs. C. E. Scott, of the American Presbyterian Mission in Tsinan, Elisabeth Stam was directly descended from John Alden, pilgrim in the Mayflower, and Pris-fille his wile—both immortalized by Longfellow in "The Courtship of Miles Standish." John Stam received a def~ finite call to the mission field from a business career, while Elisabet came to it as the' natural thing to do. They met while studying Jat the Moody Bible Institute, Chicago. Their love was not allowed to inter-{fere with the task which they had in hand and Elisabeth sailed alone for China in the autumn of 1931. John followed nearly a year later—travelling third class. From the start, his' missionary training he had dec ided to see if God would provide the! supplies—feeling that the future might fold times when he would need to be very sure of this. And so this young man who might have been Comfortable served tables and did fodd jobs of office work, sometimes Being down to his last five cent piece. Tt was in the autumn, of 1933. that! Me and his wife were married at Tsinan. The frontispiece shows the a jas a bright-faced pair and the story lof their work in the interior is given mostly through their wonderfully interesting letters. There is also a very attractive photograph of_ thei baby, Helen Priscilla. John Stam's last night alive had been spent roped fo the bedpost of the room in which they were confined, but the mother lad been left free. So Helen Priscilla was wrapped warmly in her sleeping bag, with some little clean garments tucked in with her, together with couple of $5 notes. And thus Evangelist Lo found her thirty hours later. Beggared by the Reds, and with their own small child desperately ill, Me. and Mrs. Lo thankfully used the {$5 notes on the expenses of a hundred: mile journey through bandit-infested country to safety, Helen Priscilla hidden in a rice-basket at one end of a carrying pole and their own child the other. Fed by kindly young' [Chinese mothers. when such "were and from a tin of Lactogen baby—in perfect health—was handed to Mr. George A. Birch of the C. Ju Suancheng, the scene of the Stams first months of work.
"Suffering saints are living seed," said Spurgeon, and Mrs. Taylor records that at the Moody Bible Institute alone, 700 students stood up) at the memorial service for the Stams as volunteers for mission work whatever Meld they should be needed—c.c.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.