Sociologists, savages, and scientists had for years before the war pointed out the dangers of a declining birth rate. Nothing was done, however, beyond the appointment of legislative commissions that never reported, and, so far as the general public was concerned, it does not seem the danger was realized until the Germans made it real and operative at Charleroi by sending against the left wing of the allied armies masses of troops sufficient to overwhelm them.
Heroism, aided by different circumstances, prevailed against superior numbers in the battles of the Marne and Nancy. In another case, the contributing circumstances might be lacking, and heroism alone without numbers might not prevail.
What happened at Charleroi, may the students of this question, might have been seen in figures before the war when the statistics showed three Germans born for every Frenchman. For the maintenance of peace after the war, they hold treaties may not be relied upon. The most potential deterrent will be an increased number of soldiers.
The population of France, which was 35 percent of the total of the vent powers of Europe in 1858, had fallen to 10 percent in 1858. In 1858, France had 26,000,000, against 28,000,000 for all of the German-speaking countries. 