New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-05-04
GOV. WILSON SIGNS THE
STERILIZATION BILL
Subjects Defective and Criminal
Glasses to Examination by
Special Commission.
OPERATIONS MAY FOLLOW
Women and Clergymen Secure
Law Which Recognizes Power
of Heredity in Criminals
A. E. Ommens Views.
rRy Telegraph to The Tribune !

4l'lllpl4t ~ 80 NAY D-.NfN JFlS'N
now has a law for the sterilization Of
the hopelessly defective and criminal
classes. Governor Wilson has signed the
oil introduced by Assemblyman Blanch-
ard s White, Of Burlington County. and
known as the sterilization bill. While
the Governor has affixed his sigma
ture 10 the bill he has not yet ap-
pointed the commission. which will be
known as the Board Of Examiners Of
Feeble Minded, Epileptics. Criminals and
other Detectives. He will probably ap-
point the members OF this board on his
return from the West. and then the law
will go into operation
Such law has been in operation in
Indiana. Connecticut and California for
about two years. In Indiana. however.
the surgeons at the state reformatory
for the last twelve years have operated
on such inmates as consented To il, al
though it was not legalized until two
years ago. In all Of these states the
consent of the subject is required
The hil provides that the Commits
sioner Of Charities and Corrections shall
be member OF this board. This COM
missioner is the Rev. DR. George
Wight, OF Trenton. who firmly believes
that the steps authorized by the bill are
necessary to prevent the increase Of i'm
beetles and idiots DR.. Wight was one
Of committee from the state conference
Of charities and corrections which in
vestigated this subject.
Mrs. Alexander, Chairman.
Mrs. Caroline 3. Alexander. OF Castle
Point. Hoboken. one Of the leading
women of New Jersey. was the chair
man Of the committee which suggested
the sterilization bill She is a member Of
the board OF managers Of the State Epi-
leptic Village az Skillman a member OF
the State Board Of Children's Guardians
and one Of the managers of the proposed
rAfornatory for women. Other members
Of this committee were the Rev. Dr.
Wight. Professor =. r. Johnston. super
intendent Of the Home for Feeble
Minded. az Vineland; Dr. David L.
Weeks. medical director Of the Village
for Epileptics az skllman, and the Rev
DR.. Frank Moore superintendent OF the
Railway Reformatory.
This committee thoroughly examined
the research work conducted by Or
Goddard. Of the Vtneland Training
Schoo, for Feeble Minded. which was
carried On bv money from the Hartman
foundation The COMMITTEES drew bill
eaid ~ have been even more drastic than
the one which passed the Legislature.
Assistant ATTORNEY General Nelson =.
Gaskiu was called in TO advise as 70 the
constitutionality of the measure, and ne
redrafted the bill and returned IT 10 the
committee
The committee. Or. Wight pointed out
was unanimous IN believing that Ger
tain class Of persons should he unseHed
70 nrevent the perpetuation of needless
suffering 10 future generations He ar
eued that where even one parent was
defective and the other alcoholic, IN
large majority Of cases the children were
imbeciles or worse This defective con-
dition was traced back in certain fam
lilies for ten generations. Or. Wight
pointed out that sterilization bill had
been introduced at previous sessions Of
the LEGISLATURE but had been looked
upon largely as a joke.
Operations Benefit Mentally
OF course. the measure only applies 10
individuals who constitute a menace to
the community. and Or. Wight said the
records showed that such persons when
subjected to the operation were often
benefited mentally and physically.
The law is entitled An act 10 author
ize and provide for the sterilization of
feeble minded Gncluding idiots and i'm
becnes). epieptics. rapists, certain GRIM
inals and other detectives. Il provides
that
Whereas. Heredity plays a most impor-
tant part in the transmission OF feeble
rnindedness. epilepsy crimina. tendencies
and other defects
Re II enacted by the Senate and General
Assembly of the State Of New Jersey
Immediately after the passage of
this act the Governor shall appoint 10y
and with the advice OF the Senate a sur
COON and q ncurologist each % recognized
abilitv ore for a term Of three ;3l Years,
and one for term OF five t1l wears, tuslI
srccess0rs each To be appointed Tor the fu!l
term OF FIVE wears. who IN conjunction Win
fbe commissioner Of Charities and Correc-
lions shall be known as and IS hereby ere
ated. the Board Of Examiners oi Feehie
Minded dncluding Idiots and lmhecilesi.
F,pilepti,s Criminals and Otncr De
iectiJes." whose duty il shall be 10 ex-
amino into the mental and physica condi-
tim Of the feeble minded. epilepucs, certain
criminals and other defective inmates con
6ued in the scyera reformatOries, Chari-
table and penal Institutions In the 0o1n-
Tics ard state. Any vacancy occurring IN
said board Of examiners shall be- filled oy
apponiDent Of TIE Governor FOR the Un"N-
pred term
The criminals vino shall come within
the operation of this Law shall be those W io
have been convicted Of the crime az RAPE,
or Of such succession offences against the
criminal law as in the opinion ~ this
loard of examiners snail he deemed to be
-ufficient evidence OF confirmed criminal
tCud' uCies
3 Upon application Of the superintendent
on other administrative officer Of any ins'i-
tuition In which such inmates are, or may
bc confined. or. upon It's own motion the
said board ~ examiners may call q meet
inc 20 take evidence ana examine into the
mental ana physical condition Of such
inmates confined as aforesaid and n said
board - examiners. in conjunction with the
chief pn5 slclan ~ the institution un3ni-
nously md mat proCreation Is mad disable
and that there is no prohH bilitv that the
condition oi such inmate So examined will
improve 20 suth an extent as 10 render pro-
creation by such inmate advisable n shall
h. lawful 10 perform such operation Tor the
preve ention Of procreation a. shall he de-
rided by said board ~ examiners % he
most effective ana thereupon n shall and
NAV be lawful for any surgeon qualned
under the laws of this state. under the di-
rection Of the chief physician ~ said IN
stitution. 10 perform such operation. pre-
,1ous 20 said hearing the said hoard shall
apply 10 any Judge Of the Court of Com