“Isn’t there danger of collision between these flying machines?”
“Many fatal collisions took place when the flyers were first introduced. It was found necessary to regulate them by government supervision. The routes between all points have been carefully laid out and the going and returning paths separated by a wide and safe space.
“You mentioned the abolition of war. I hardly see how it could be while there were any uncivilized nations on earth,” I observed.
“I said international warfare was abolished.” he returned. “After Russia had taken possession of Asia and settled its ownership, and Africa had been divided up amongst the western European nations, the governments of all nations were civilized. The regulation of such barbarous subjects as they might be responsible for, was simply a question of policing, not war. An insurrection by them could not succeed against the destructive weapons held by the government. But as international affairs are now settled, there is no excuse for any responsible body of men to resort to force. The principle of arbitration first adopted between the United States and Great Britain was subsequently extended to all civilized nations. Later there was framed for the guidance of Arbitrators of international questions, an international constitution or law of nations agreed to by treaty between the principal nations and finally ratified by all. This constitution described the boundaries of all nations, which it was agreed were not to be disturbed except on consent of all the parties concerned, thus doing away with wars for conquest.
“A criminal code was enacted, by which all crimes between subjects of different nations were to be tried, and an international court was established, composed of Judges from every nation. When a suit is brought before this court, those judges appointed by the nations parties to the suit, are excused from serving, and the case is tried by the others. Questions of damages by one nation and its decrees when finally reached are acquiesced in without hesitation, because it is keenly recognized that any settlement even when not entirely satisfactory, is preferable to war. In fact war is not recognized as a practical method of settling anything.”
“If war is at an end, what have the European Nations done with their great armies,” I inquired. “In my day most of the surplus wealth of those nations went to support their vast armies, and the masses of the industrial classes were kept in poverty, because their earnings were so largely diverted to that purpose. And yet there appeared to be too many workers, for their wages were very low. If the soldiers were set to work at peaceful occupations and married and raised families, the population must have increased and the wages gone still lower. How was that?”
“Well, not quite like that,” he replied. “The more workers the more wealth, provided they have plenty of raw material to work on. The abolition of war gave a great impetus to the production of wealth in Europe. A great demand was created for raw materials, such as wool, cotton, timber, iron and other metals and for food stuffs. A large part of these supplies had to be furnished from other countries. The United States furnished vast quantities. This increased commerce, and as the population increased, emigration was stimulated. As the United States filled up, the emigration was diverted from this country to South America and to Africa. The products and exports of these countries correspondingly increased. The equatorial regions are most prolific in all the products of the soil. The temperate zones furnish the most vigorous people for consuming these and turning them into wealth. The relations between these two regions are reciprocal and complemental rather than competitive. Free trade was first established in those directions and it soon forced itself in others, until it became the rule the world over. The history of western Europe during the twentieth century, is bound up with the development and settlement of South America and Africa, especially the latter. Modern Africa is as much a child of Europe as America is, and the native races and tongues are being rapidly displaced by the European. Population in Europe naturally increases in a more rapid ratio than ever before, due to the suppression of the ravages and waste of war, the more scientific treatment of disease, and control of epidemics, the greater comfort and prosperity of the people. But with their increased possibilities for comfort have come, an increased standard and expectation of life, so that it cannot be said that the people are any better satisfied with life than they were before. The struggles are as intense and the disappointments as stinging as ever. The incentives to emigration have not diminished while facilities inducements and flattering prospects to the immigrant are vastly greater than ever.
“Europe is the great breeding ground for Africa, as it was formerly for North America. And the human inundation that formerly poured itself into the United States is diverted chiefly to Africa, but in four fold volume.”
“Surely,” said I, “the capacity of the earth for supporting the human family must be almost exhausted. It is sickening to contemplate the suffering that will be entailed in the struggle for existence that it seems to me must inevitably come soon. Evidently from what you say, Europe must be about as full as it will hold. I suppose the great migration you speak of represents the surplus crop of folks that the continent must get rid of in order to let those that remain live in tolerable comfort. When Africa and South America get to be as full as Europe and the United States, so that they can no longer receive this tide of emigration, then what is to be done? For anything I can see famine will have to sweep away some of the race in order that the rest may exist, and after all is that any better than war?”
“At any rate,” said he, “we have not reached that yet. We have now reached the beginning of the twenty-first century. The population of the earth has reached the very considerable number of 4,000,000,000 or almost three times what is was in your day. Yet we concede a three fold increase of that figure before starvation or some other repressive agency will be necessary to stop the increase of the population and that will only be reached by the year 2070.”