SIR,-Jotter is not alone in his wish to see a Catholic answer in scientific terms to the problems of contraception and over
population.
From all I have read it seems that climate, educational background, and social amenities play their part. So does the low physical slate resulting from long hours of work coupled with poor nutrition which many observers have linked with the large birth rates among the poorer classes during the industrial revolution of countries like England, Germany, and Japan.
Under such conditions some have noted that conception most often takes place after nervous energy has been expended in some other activity. And concerning those countries which have a large poorly-fed peasantry one authority claimed that t he psychological effect of chronic hunger was to make sex important enough to compensate emotionally for the overpopulation is a higher nutritional level-in fact, a world flowing with milk and honey. Even our own Lord Bacon once said: " Repletion is the enemy of regeneration."
This may be an over-simplified solution but it seems pleasanterand saner-to give to undernourished peoples the chance of more and better food rather than packets of contraceptives.
To the levman Mr. Huxley's obsession with contraceptives has never seemed very sound as a solution to the .problean for, the attraction of the sexes being what it is, the use of such mechanical means can have httle more than a very transient effect on the general trend of population figures.
P. F. Dagleish shrunken nutritional appetite. 24 Marl Hill Crescent, Should those arguments be °orPreston, Lancs.
rect then the answers to world
SIR,-One wonders perhaps if "Jotter" is wise in asking for a specifically "Catholic" policy on population problems as based on scientific evidence. Facts are neither Catholic nor nonCatholic, nor should be the conclusions arising from them.
The most recent facts provided by the United Natons ("The Future and Growth of World Population, 1958") substantiate what was said by United Nations in 1953: " The danger of world population reaching the maximum that could be supported by the carth's resources seems very remote."
The official body concerned with the relation of food supplies to population, the United Nations Organisation of Food and AgricuA lure, reports that but one-third of the earth's cultivable land is at present under cultivation.
Should the losses being expeo: iencod at the present time in fishing, farming, and forestry be reduced, together with the development of new areas, and an in creased yield from areas already We acknowledge receipt by an under cultivation. then " it is pasanonymous reader of the C.S.G. sible to achieve the required inbooklet "Is the World Heading for creases in food production to meet Starvation?" by A. G. Donniworld needs for the forseeahle thorne which we recommend. We future." (1954) F.A.O. states amhope to publish an expert article phatically that technically all this on some of the aspects of this is possible. difficult subject.-Editor, "C.H."
Trust in God's providence is admirable ... vet is it not a Pity that "Jotter" did not also reflect that it is essential to make what is technically possible: practical, immediate financial aid on the part of the advanced countries ? Pro lessor Blackett put forward this plea to the members of the British Association for the Advancement of Science only a year ago.
Unless we are prepared to work for this end, at the cost of a temporary halt in the betterment of our own social welfare, we can claim no adequate answer, on social grounds to contraception.
Pat Miller
33 Marmaduke Street, Liverpool 7.