Show ratio of elders doubles in century the ratio of elders to those at the main working years of life has doubled in the united states during the past century arid has increased by nearly neaily two thirds since 1900 one hundred years ago there were only about six persons at age 65 or older for each of the population at 20 to 64 by 1900 the ratio had climbed to eight and since then it has risen even more r rapidly and is now 13 although the segment of the population at 65 or over has cen increasing the relative importance of the dependent population as a whole has declined due to a rapid drop in the ratio of children population at the main productive ages the number of children under 18 per persons at ages 2064 has been cut in half from in 1850 to about 54 ian 1950 jn in very recent years however due to the war and postwar spurt in th the e birth rate this trend has been bean reversed and the child population has indrea increased sed at a more rapid rate than people at ages 2064 this will bonti continue nue for at least a decade even if allowa allowance nc q is made for a steady decline in the birth rate from its present level and an d at the same time the population at the older ages will continue its long term upward climb As a result we are entering a period when the country will have to provide for the expanding social and economic needs of both its large child and aged populations each growing at a faster rate than the population at the main work ing etges |