I have often noticed that when chickens quit quarreling over their food they often find that there is enough for all of them. I wonder if it might not be the same with the human race.

Marquis uses a barnyard observation as a parable about human scarcity and conflict. The chickens’ squabbling makes the food seem insufficient; once they stop fighting, the same supply proves adequate. The implied analogy is that human beings often manufacture “shortage” through competition, hoarding, and distrust—wasting energy on struggle that could be spent on fair distribution and cooperation. The closing line (“I wonder…”) keeps the tone wry rather than preachy, inviting readers to test the idea against social realities such as class conflict, labor disputes, or international rivalry. The quote thus critiques zero-sum thinking and suggests that peace and mutual restraint can reveal abundance that conflict obscures.