Grievous as is her material condition, her spiritual deprivations are still greater. By the very fact of its existence, mother love demands its expression toward the child. By that same fact, it becomes a necessary factor in the child's development. The mother of too many children, in a crowded home where want, ill health and antagonism are perpetually created, is deprived of this simplest personal expression. She can give nothing to her child of herself, of her personality.
Training is impossible and sympathetic guidance equally so.
Motherhood becomes a disaster and childhood a tragedy. It goes without saying that this woman loses also all opportunity of personal expression outside her home. She has neither a chance to develop social qualities nor to indulge in social pleasures. She can contribute nothing to the wellbeing of the community. She can be nothing as long as she is denied means of limiting her family.