Safety in numbers? Not at this rate

CHAIRMAN MAO, in answering the concerns of his own experts who were worried about Chinese overpopulation, declared, "Every stomach comes with two hands" -- that is, the output of each new worker exceeds his drain on the economy.

That position is very similar to Jeff Jacoby's "more brainpower and more human energy" argument in the Oct. 25 op-ed "The population pessimists," about the 300 millionth American.

Unfortunately for the good chairman, his statement, like Jacoby's, is only true to a point. China's population grew, China did not, and eventually the drain on resources forced the brutal and repressive "one child" program.

Sure, the planet could support many more billions of people, but what would that world look like?

We are already disrupting ecosystems and causing species to go extinct. Overpopulation, with its drain on resources, is ultimately at the root of environmental problems from biodiversity and habitat loss to global warming.

These are problems we're blithely and irresponsibly shoving off on our children. One would hope we'd be better parents than that.

DAVID BRAGG
Brookline

JEFF JACOBY makes a misleading analysis by simply taking our population numbers and dividing by the land area to determine whether we have enough space. Rather, optimal population growth levels should be based upon the rate of resource depletion, reductions in overall quality of life, irreparable damage to ecosystems, and the country's ability to manage its resources to sustain its people.

Yes, we may still have room to grow, but what kind of country are we becoming? Rather than choose to ignore the consequences of America's rapidly growing population, Congress should revisit the idea of adopting a population policy, as was promoted by President Nixon in the 1970s. Otherwise, our future generations will be faced with a severely diminished quality of life and will be unable to bring America back to the time when "life was good" during the early years of the New Millennium.

HENRY BARBARO
Jamaica Plain
The writer is chairman of the New England Coalition for Sustainable Population.

HOW HOSPITABLE of Jeff Jacoby to extend a "Welcome aboard!" to the burgeoning US populace. I hope he also offers a complimentary cocktail to all, so that it might dull their pain as they become aware of our crumbling infrastructure, inequitable healthcare system, and eroding real income levels. If not a cocktail, at least a pill for seasickness to help ride out the rough waters ahead.

ARTHUR ZERVAS
Wakefield