New Britain herald., 1915-05-24
(By Lucy Huffaker in New York %s@s Tribune)

go to the legislature 10 secure the repeating of the present laws, they will find at least two opponents, heads of powerful organizations, ready to fight them to finish. They are Mrs. Arthur M. Dodge, of the National as- sociation Opposed to Woman Suffrage, and Anthony Comstock, of the socie- ty for the Prevention of Vice.
 Mrs. Dodge and MT. Comstock, when l asked them for interviews in regard to this vital matter, which has been brought into the discussion of the day by the announcement of the meeting to discusss birth control next Wednesday at the Academy of Medicine, were inclined to treat as of slight importance the present agi- tation. Public opinion and the law would operate to keep the people in terested from going far in their pro- paganda,, they said. But if such should be the case-if the Committee on Birth Control, recently organized, should take the matter to the 1egis- lature-they will go also to fight for what they believe to be decency and morality.
 That any tampering with the pres ent law in regard to the dfssemina- ton of, information in regard to con- traception (unless the law is made more rigid) wll result in an increase of immortality as we'll as decrease in the population is the belief of Mrs. Dodge and MT. Comstock, and also of Miss Grace Strachan, District Su- perintendent of Schools and known for her fight for equal pay for men and women teachers.
 Are we to have homes or broth els?" Mr. ComstoclS exclaimed.
 ''Is all decency to be done away with 2" asked Mrs, Dodge.
 By what right does any group of people go against the laws of God:" asked Miss Strachan
 From such statements each one went on to elaborate the position Of those who are opposed to the chang ing of the present law in regard to family limitation. It was with reluc- tance that they spoke, and only after being urged-each one asserting that the matter was one too delicate to be talked or written about. 1t is only because the other. camp has come out in print so boldly and because it is eV6T IHG nuIy OI tIOSc WILD Stduu lol decency to lay aside personal prefer ences to oppose the forcs of evil that they consented to talk at all they said. This explanation of their consent to be interviewed at all they impressed upon me. with the promise that state it in the article.
 After MT. Comstock had asked me the arresting questions as to whether we were to have homes or brothels, he went on with list of other quest ions:
 "Is the womanhood of our country to be dragged into the dust ?''
 'Are men and women to practise no self control"
 "Is there to be no semblance of de- cency left in life?'
 One after another he shot the ques- tons out When he asked if quacks are to be given the power of life I interrupted to ask if he would call the men and women physicians who have come out in favor of birth con- trol quacks and charlatans? That question he waived aside 5as having no bearing on the subject. Then he went on to say that there is altogether too much opportunity under the law as 1t stands to control births.
 "Reputable physicians can prescribe anything which is necessary for their patients now. The thing which can't be. done is to-. sell openly articles which limit birth. As I said, they are sold-but they are sold under pre- text of being manufactured for an- other purpose.
 If this law should be changed, it would allow duacks and charlatans and all kinds of physicians who are not reputable to spread information which would make for indecency and immortality. Young and innocent girls would be dragged in the dust. The things which would follow would be unthinkable.
 "But''lI asked when he stopped for a moment. "The advocates of birth control claim that 1t is not just that this information should be with held from poor people who cannot afford to rear large families 2" Can't poor people learn self-con- trol?" he hurled back. Cant every body, whether rich or poor, learn to control themselves? It is scandalous that any one should urge that the inn pulses should be given full rein and then that the laws of God should be tampered with.'
 twill you attend the meeting next Wednesday evening ]" asked MT. Comstock. He refused to answer that l question, but he said, T will meet this l group or any other time at the legis- l laturc
 Mrs. Dodge was much more reluc- l tant to talk than MT. Comstock. She 1 pointed out the fact that ten years ago
 such subject would not have been considered proper for conversation,
 and said that for herself she did not l consider it subject which should be | dirn1,aand inl1