The Human Bomb​—Near Exploding Point

It took thousands of years for the human population to reach one billion persons (in 1850). In just eighty years it reached two billion. It is now 3.6 billion and estimates are that it will increase​—not just another billion—​but to double the present figure in just the next thirty years!

Every day there are some 200,000 more mouths to be fed on this planet. But the planet remains the same size. And agricultural production is not keeping pace with the need.

World leaders know that there is great ferment among the peoples of the so-called Third World, those in the poorer, ‘developing nations.’ Those nations have more than twice the population of the richer, industrial nations and are increasing at a faster rate.

To meet growing discontent among this huge population, the big powers have tried to give technological aid. Gains have been made; but the problems are great and the population growth just about wipes out any advancement made. Thus, a recent United Nations survey shows that “the gap between have and have-not nations is steadily widening.”

The threat now posed by the “human bomb” grows worse every day.

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HUMAN BOMB NEAR EXPLODING POINT

Population now 3,600,000,000

Predicted to double in 30 years

The fastest increase is among the poorer nations, which already have twice the population of the richer nations

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Each day there are some 200,000 more persons to be fed. Food production is not keeping pace with the need