Taerteay, Jee 25, 1 tS MAIL TF.IIUNI, Medfere'. Or. J
TDW3 wirihtfl cRtiabtJ csiwal u
The Inquiring Mind
'' 'This tics of articles, on many different subjects,
results from work by. senior students at the school of
journalism 4 the University ef Oregon. Each Is con
dense Torsion of a full-length thesis written as partial
requirement for graduatioa at the school.
11 IQLXJJAJJ
AMERICA'S BABY BOOM-
BLEMIIfG OR BURDEN?
--t- Br Barbara Stepper
-' A vbaby is born in the
United States every eight
seconds; someone dies every
Jl seconds . . . every hour
.450 babies are born and 170
.persons die ... in one day
10,800 join the ranks of the
living and 4,100 leave them
each month the figures
stand at 325,000 newborn
and 123,000 deceased .
every year 4 million babies
.are born .in America and 1.5
million persons die. - - - -.
The baby boom following
World War II lit the fuse of
the population "explosion"
that is rocking the United
States today. Coupled with a
declining death rate, the in-
. creased birth rate is causing
. the American population to
' Increase more than 2.5 mil-
' lion annually. Each year the
' net. increase is equivalent to
the addition of another Mary
land or the combined popu
' lations of Rhode Island, Dela
ware, Idaho, Nevada and
Montana.
'Latest Census Bureau esti
mates show America's total
" population pushing the 175
million mark. By 1975 we'll
be 228 million strong.
' Explosion Worldwide
Not only is there an abund-
a nee of babies in America-
' the world's best crop seems
to be babies. There has been
' a worldwide population ex-
' plosion in the last 15 years
which in the long run may
hake the world more than
- the atom or hydrogen bomb
blasts.
" -About 2.8 billion people
low inhabit the earth. The
: rate of increase over the last
even years has been 17 per
cent as compared to 10 per
cent from 1930 to 1950.
"''Many countries are-exper-
lancing this demographic in
flation, among them Japan,
China, India, Ceylon, Puerto
Rico and Italy.
V America is one of the lead
ers in the increase, with only
India and China ' growing
' -farter. The United States
- growth is speedier than that
' ef Soviet Russia. While Amer-
' lea added 35 million, the So
viet Union' gained fewer than
- 10 million in the last 15
-'years. ;.
Bleatinf er Burden?
Is' America's population in-
'crease to our advantage or
. disadvantage? Is the baby
boom - a blessing or a bur
den? 1 Will the nearly four
million babies born each year
mean even greater prosper-
- Itjr or an eventually lowered
living standard?
" - In -'- deciding whether - the
United States population
'iffowth may be viewed' opti
mistically or pessimistically,
' the attitude of other coun-
' tries concerning population
increase or decrease mult also
' be considered. Countries such
- as India and Japan with large
" populations and low stand-
' ards of living tend to regard
- population increase as disad
- vantageous and actively dis-
i-courage a high birth rate. On
. the other i hand, countries
- eiich as Great Britain and
Sweden, with higher stand
ards of living and more stable
. er even . slightly declining
- populations, tend to view
-growth as beneficial.
.T'-The Soviet Union does not
fit. Into either category. Ac
cording to Robert C. Cook,
population expert, "Since the
disappearance of Hitler and
Mussolini, no country . on
earth except the Soviet
Union is actively promoting
larger population. Russians
have a conviction that over
population is impossible."
Effects Listed
There are many effects of
the rapid population growth
in the United States which
may be viewed optimistically
er. pessimistically, depending
.en the Interpretation. For ex
ample, the four million new
babies born yearly must be
fedV ' clothed, sheltered, edu
cated and entertained. The
Increased . necessary . produc-
uvn.ana cvoairucuon. may oe
viewed as a healthy accelera
tion .to the economy. On the
etUrr hand, the need for such
atepped-up production may
place a.- strain on our re-'
sources that would lead to a
depression.
' Another effect of the high
birth rate and low death rate
is that the proportion of the
young and the aged is grow
ing larger in comparison to
the number of workers, 18 to
I. Five workers today, sup
port eight others besides
. themselves. As the ranks of
the retired grow, special pro
visions must be made for
.them also.
Population . growth means
that land, mineral, water and
other natural resources are
being used up rapidly by
Americans and by the Ameri
can .industrial machine. For
example, the average Ameri-
Bow usee 137 gallons of
water a day. The industries
gulp billions of gallons of
water daily.
Other ramifications of the
population growth are the
move to the suburbs from
overcrowded cities, the traf
fic congestion and parking
difficulties, and the. slum
areas creeping in.
History Traced .
The history of the popu
lation growth in the United
States falls into four main
periods.
The first, from 1810 to
1789, was a period of rapid
growth. Beginning with an
estimated 210, the newly
settled territory increased
tenfold to 2,500 by 1620.
After I860 a 35 per cent in
crease per decade was uni
form up to 1790.
From the first Census In
1790 to 1860, the population
increased at a steady rate.
Americans multiplied from
almost four million to 30
million.
In the third period, I860
to 1940, the rate of popula
tion growth declined but ab
solute numbers continued to
rise. From 1890 to 1918 the
rate slowed to 15 per cent a
decade. During the first few
years after World War I the
rate shot up. After 1923 an
other marked decline occur
red until in 1931, when the
nation was suffering from
the Great Depression, only
872,000 persons were added
to the population.
During and after World
War II the birth rate soared.
When the war ended, the ac
celerated pace continued un
til today almost four million
babies are born yearly.
Three Views Offered
Is our population, explo
sion good or bad? This ques
tion must be answered before
a "population policy" can be
established by the United
States. : Other countries have
policies established one way
or the other. America's gen
eral attitude, stemming from
the "booster and boom" psy
chology of frontier condi
tions, has always, been .that
population growth is a good
thing, even though no official
measures have ever : been
taken to encourage it. -.
Three views are apparent
an optimistic, a pessimistic
and a - compromise. . These
three will be discussed in a
second article.
Use of Atomic
Waste Predicted
San Diego, Calif.-flJPD-Atom-ic"
wastes, usually regarded as
a disposal problem,, may be a
blessing rather' thari-always
a potential hazard, according
to an expert in' the field of
experimental reactors. -
Dr. Richard Stone, of Gen
eral Dynamics' new John Jay
Hopkins Laboratory of Pure
and Applied Science, which
was dedicated formally today,
thinks all atomic waste will
be used some day.
"Those so-called waste prod
ucts will become useful' to
mankind," he told a news con
ference Wednesday. "I . al
ways explain it by pointing
out that gasoline was once a
waste product in the produc
tion of kerosene. :
"I think that some day. we
will take all , the atomic
wastes for man's use and be
crying for more." , . r
Highway Engineer
Receives Award
Salem-OT-W. O. Widdows,
State Highway 'Department
Assistant Engineer, is co-winner
of the Hewes Award for
engineering achievement for
1959.
. Widdows. shirt o! the
award, consisting of a bronze
plaque and $250, was made
at the Western Association of
State Highway officials now
in convention 1 at Billings.
Mont., is was announced here
today. "
W. C. Williams, State High
way Engineer and president
of the association, said an Ari
zona highway engineer shared
the honors. -;
Recognition came to .- Wid
dows for more efficient equip
ment to paint stripes down
highways.
The hew system permits
heating the paint before it is
applied, allowing 30 per cent
faster application. .
REDS WELCOME TANKS '
Moscow fllTP A Russian
official Wednesday night said
his government would wel
come as many -as. 150,000
American tourists, in the So
viet Union this year. .Yuri
Zhukov, chairman of the
State Committee on Cultural
Relations, also said he hoped
President Eisenhower and
other officials of the U.S. gov
trnmcnt would make the trip.
'
l'ijivmwit jskim r '?.' a: so: an m- ii'? 'aiiiw . TiT'-Tr iX':
m. emoAsnL'Ln n hi ti. in. m iras-.i-K.v wwm-i j&"$ v i-i . -v .
M III ' gT -t- - X 11 I 1 tit "f ' r-q I ,, A I '
fr TfT Zr-iJr . m m I I heel and toa. Lena wurinn Klihrnl TI . M aElr
I JJ L.. ' J'J-Mmti V .: fV, s I I Sizes lOto 13. " r. I
SIMMER
r-BARGAIN DAY
SPECIALS
v , , . , . ,
O Costume Jewelry
BOYS' SPORT SHIRTS
Penney's tailors these fine Dan River. '
cottons with every smart, good-look-:
' ing feature ... 2 matching pockets,
cool short seleeves! Then prices them .
'way low for exceptional : savings! ', .
Great 1 shirts for summer. Assorted " "
patterns and colors. 4 to 18.
FINNEY'S STREET FLOOR
$
2-PC. PLAY SET
Very special purchase on these smart
ly styled cool, cotton play sets.; Print-"
ed sleeveless blouse . toppers . with'
matching' shorts. .Machine washable. Aeee 3 te 6X
ComDlete. set at a . oricc vou. would . "
expect to pay. for the short or blouse : ; Sfl 59
. aione. .-. . -. i : v -.
W0S COTTON SKIRTS
FEN NET'S SECOND FLOOR
$00
It's a skirt-n-blouse season. and these'
cool cottons come in summer's gayest
blend, of colors. Floral prints or solid
tones. Many styles to , please your .
fancy. And so reasonably, priced you'll
want more than one. Sizes 1 0 to 1 8.
A,e 7 t:i4
FENNEY'S MEZZANINE FLOOR
$J88
a
Famous maker's sparkling pieces, in
cluding: bracelets, pins, necklaces,
earrings and others, Beautiful selection.
FENNEY'S STREET FLOOR
tax
O Men's Work Socko
100 sturdy cotton with nylon-reinforced :
heel and toe. Long wearing. Natural only.:
Sizes 10 to 13.
FENNEY'S STREET FLOOR
O Large Beach Towels
Compare this buy! Thick thirsty giant 30 inch by i- .-
68 inch Terry Towels for beach or showers. Gay 5 1 77
multi-colored stripes. Hurry to Penney's. These - I
will sell fast. . . . , - .
; FENNEY'S STREET FLOOR
O Ever Ion Panels
Famous Everlon panels ... rayon nets that hand
siae 4511
EACH
SAVE! Men's Underwear
n
Get 'sturdy, 2-ply Durene athletic
shirts and briefs! Get quality combed
cotton -T-shirts! Extra long - tuck-in
. shirts. Stock up, now!
Shirts . man's site 40 te 46
Uriels men's sizes 34 te 42
FENNEY'S STREET FLOOR '
2 for
MATCHED SET VALUE
2
COOL, TROPICAL SUITS
Working or playing
our.
50
pant
i
sturdy twill breeze thru sum- ''.? ; ;
mer ' Pants, have . brass zipper,: efQQ 8-os. '
cuffs and the shirts boast a - , . ghifft
dress collar, long sleeves! San- : men's site .
. smalt, mtA'ium -
forized! Khaki, grey.
While 40 suits last. You can get Pen--ney's
fine summer weight dacron and
: woof suits or the famous wash 'n' wear
suits; Keep cool and' keep comforN
sble all through the' summer. All per
fectly tailored and fitted to Penney's
high quality standard. Save now! . .
FENNEY'S STREET FLOOR "
NOW!
25
- Unbleached
. 38-inch Muslin .
Perfect, quality medi- 4 Yd,
urn weight muslin,
yardage for curtains, . eJ
drapes etc. ' Buy at ': !
savings! "
. FENNEY'S STREET FLOOR
17-inch Cannon
Huck Toweling
- ' - '
White and colors . . '
for embroidering or Jtrf
just plain towels.
- - Tar
. FENNEY'S STREET FLOOR
58-inch Check
i ' -, :' . ;
Damask Goods -
For. tablecloths and - ; ,
napkins: Large checks - ef ao
in blue, yellow,: green J
with white. " '"'
(.-".' . :.- Yard
FINNEY'S STREET FLOOR
36-inch White
Terry Cloth
Cannon quality terry
cloth yardage for tow-7 Of
els, robes, beach wear. .
Yard
FENNEY'S STREET FLOOR
wash, require no starchina. no ironina ver! Ivorv TI A
Very special at this tiny price! Perfect quality. 1
O WB Tropical Slacks
Keep a trim, well dressed look ... at our budget ej mqq
prices - with machine washable dacron and rayon aA
slacks. Hurry, only 50 pair in this shipment.
O Boys Faded Denims
Smart washable slack styled denims in faded blue .
$198
or faded grey. Stock up now. Age 12. to 18. I
O Wo's Cotton Shorts
00
ID
Gay choice of prints, plaids or stripes in these per
fectly made machine washable cottons. 8 to 1 8.
$1
O Girls Midcalfs
Dozens of sunny coloVs in smart styles and fabrics
that are .easy to care for. Solids, stripes as well as 5 Z2
many patterns. Sizes 7 to 14. I
SECOND FLOOR "
O Kitchen Terry Towels
O AAen7s Denim Jeans
Soft, absorbent cotton towels in 7 cheerful
ly attractive patterns. 17x29 inches. Won
derful for shower gifts.. . ,
Repeat of a sell out! Full cut sanforized blue denim
jeans. Made for rugged wear. Full 10-oz. weight.
Sizes 29 to 42.
FENNEY'S STREET FLOOR
79
i
BIG, BIG n
SAVINGS! 1
SPECIAL BUY!
SUMMER STRAWS
177 . .
BIG BUY! WO'S
RAYON SLIPS
VEASY-CARE
COTTON
PRINTS
COTTONS IN NEW
DESIGNS, COLORS
1 5 1
AIRY DRESS SHIRTS
EASY ON CARE! .
BLUE CHAMBRAY
WORK SHIRT BUY
WO'S WASHABLE '
SAILCLOTH SUP-ONS
SPECIAL BUY!
PLISSE SLIPS!
New!
SpecUn
$1
Special!
2 Yards
new- shipment
new summer
Just arrived! A '
ef hundreds of
straws gayly decorated under
washable protective clear vinyl.
Greet the summer days with a
new bag in your hand.
Make a bee-line to Penney's for '
this special slip buy! Perfect
quality rayon tricot in white and
pastels . . . easy-care, never
needs ironing. Choice of three -styles.
In sizes 32 to 40. ;
1
2
Scores of prints to choose from.
All little or no iron beauties!
Perfect for dresses, sportswear,
oert home decorations!
Only:
Tailored for summer .comfort,
combed- cottons in a cool, skip
dent or mesh weave. Short point
collar, permanent stays. Ma
chine wash! . Little or no iron!
Special!
1
Only!
2
New!
Cool 4.4-ounce ehambrays Pen
: ney tailored the way you want
'em .. . lined collar, double
shoulder - yoke, long tails and
matching blue buttons. Sanfor
ired! ,
66
Site 4 te 14
Pretty new vacation, er "at
home" footing. Washable sail
cloth slip-ons with "stay put"
elasticized insteps. Colors trim
edges. Sizes 5 to 9.
Extraordinary price! Fine qual
ity cotton plisse slip. The natu
ral no iron fabric! Nylon lace
trims. Elasticized waists. Ma
chine washable. Stock up!
o