587R. G. C. Faber to Harrod, 1 October 1936 [a]
Having read Harrod's article on population in the Evening Standard, Faber invites him to write a shortish book on the subject. [1]
Harrod received further proposals along similar lines after publication of "The Population Problem: V. What is to be done?" ( 1937:1 , press item 12 ): P. S. Unwin wrote that he would gladly consider the publication of a volume on the subject (20 January 1937, in HP IV-C-A/13). Faber, having seen Harrod's article in the Spectator, asked whether Harrod had decided for or against a book, and formulated a concrete offer regarding a book aimed at the intelligent layman. He shared Harrod's alarm, and pointed out that while newspaper articles have wider impact but are gone the day after, a book often has an effect out of all proportion to its circulation (21 January 1937, in HP IV-C-A/14). Faber wrote again on 28 October 1937, inviting Harrod to write a longish book on the population problem, addressed to the general public, on the social, industrial and especially economic consequences of a declining population (in HP IV-C-C/15). Faber revived the idea of a possible book on The Economic Consequences of the Decline of Population on 17 April 1947; Harrod, being otherwise committed, declined again (in F&F).