The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-10-22
WOMEN AROUSED BY I
TAX ON BABIES PLEA
Suffragists Criticise Dean
.OhnsOn's ViewsNOno
Calls Them "Crazy."
COLLEAGUES DISAGREE

eet a husband now, say uey. II m
other handicap is put on man, aaread,
staggering under old High Cost Of Liv
ing, who rides. an Old Man Of the Ga
or his back. he will get discouragsd an<
drop the matrimonial game.
That is the answer which four out d
the FIVE interviewed BY The Sur
Yesterday mad to the statement o.
Prof. Joseph French johnson before tn
Mills legislative committee o. wcdnes.
day that matrimony and child bearing
should not be encouraged by imposing
an extra tax on bachelors. but hat mar.
ried men should have the higher tax
Two OF these women are suffrasasts one
a widow and one unmarried. and two
are ants. one n widow n one unmar.
ried. The one woman to support Prot
Johnson is a physician.
h Professors DiRer.
Prof. Johnson's new twist to the Old
Mal,husian theory that population has
q tendency to outgrow the means Of sub
ssttucg excited varying comments from
piItF llpltsSOTs OF eCOTOfnlCB ana 0OCl-
oio.y. Several found IL difficult to be-
lievv that Prof. Johnson was serious In
h. advocacy of heavier tax burdens for
married men han for single men. The
professor, however. insisted that he wa
wholly serious.
Miss Jeanette Glider. one Of the
ants. formerly editor Of tho Critic, gave
an emphatic NO over the telephone
wh,n asked If she indorsed Prof. john
sons idea.
Tell him to go to-" she said. II
neveg heard anything so foolish. Is the
man a crank? What-a professor in the
New York University? Well. what he
says Is pure s~ensationalism. I certainly
do not agree with him. Far he It from
No 10 say who shall and who shall not
have babies. As to Prof. Johnson's
theory that the European war il the re-
SUI, OF ACKNOWLEDGMENT. l may be
crazy some time, but I'm not crazy yet.
Ttc war in Europe as the resul of many
iAiags, but babies being born Is not one
OF them. Toe man men hesitate over
marriage now. Let us not make them
hesitate more"
Mss Rose Young looked up from her
PREPARATIONS for the suffrage parade Of
tomorrow to say that Prof. johnson wa
gfe'tly in error.
We're going to have a section for ba-
bies in ca riages In the parade" she said.
"Doe5 that look as If suffragists would
agree to discourage marriage? No. as
long As society exists there will be mar
rage. II Is true hat overpopulation Ia
on, cause OF war. When there arc too
naas PEOPLE they get to fighting for
place Bnt to discriminate against mar
r!ei men and in favor Of bachelors would
only tend to evil, ii seems to me. can't
be'rvc i would be for the good Of
society
Mrs. Gait Afraid OF Result.
I'm dead against imposing a tax on
married men, said Mrs. Carrie Chap
man Gait. head of the Empire State cam
ia.Sn committee. "A man has enough
ha, leap now, The world is filled with
Chn itfied women because men are
afraid to assume the burden Of d family.
WHAT tho condition would be II matri-
~ Was taxed I'm afraid TO think.
SH'-'e:s would predominant everywhere
aN1 The hearth fires would cease TO burn.
II .- ucsi To let nature take her course"
~!,c-ulite marriage by taxation? Alb
sG'd said Mrs. Arthur NJ. Dodge, presi-
''hi ~ the National Association Opposed
I" oman Suffrage. II don't believe in
masking It any harder for men to marry.
thi certainly wouldn't approve of
uSn- taxation to raise or lower the
Icruil'ion."
To-. Mary Halton. physician and suf-
;dg..;. said:
We lose 80 many children because
o. aren't properly cared for. and the
h"'ldS OF Education and other public
bodies seem so indifferent to this
slaughter of the innocents that am
father glad TO hear some one say IL IL
Tine - do something TO keep so many
l"'r Mule ones from being brought into
IN" world TO suffer and die"
Thinks lie Was JokinE,
Why. he must have been Joking"
sld I'1f. Henry K. Seager, professor
O. rrouonics at Columbia University.
se'er1l II Prot. Johnson's associates at
New York University refused to say
anything. Prof. Harold l. Reed said
i+ mad no doubt Prof. johnson meant
Nnnt ~ said, Prof. Jeremiah +. jerks
ltI''sed to comment on the deans views
N.'pt 20 say that he thought Prof.
johnson simply gave expression to old
opinions in u picturesque way. Prof.
E'Nn T. A. Seligman. head Of the
SCHOOL ~ economy at Columbia Uni
''f'ty, would not enter into a debate
'''' p '''. Jbln>On because ne ulQ NOT
t'N' the ~latter's Wednesday expression
strpusiy.
i.u!. Seager said this:
hr views Of Prof, Johnson seem to
~ % b" omen u one conclusive objec-
''H lpdi rs hat the married man whose
.'.b Us. according 10 his view. unde-
"'.'",T large, is the man who has not
tn'' "nt income 10 be reached by an in
'"'t tax nNhOw. No income tax I'M
H.. .'''S 20 tax small Incomes. The
~ mum income taNable under the Fed |
"'. a." for 4 married man Is more
'.tN $1,000, but the man with the in
oIe over $4,000 is NOT troubled with
'"' ainy children, but with too few"
Prof. Giddings DisaErees.
Prof Franklin II. Giddings. head of |
'H" department Of sociology at CO.
loiNhio , niversity. would not discuss the
YAK feature of Prof. Johnson's remarks.
On h" disagreed with the opinions on
marriage and birth control.
y have 40 doubt Prof. Johnson speaks
orr OF CONVECTION" he said. but l think
A' IS absolutely wrong. We shall wait
q ..- time before we allow regulation
90 "HrIage and birth 10 paas into the
I...' 80 ward statesmen ! do not
'..e So" should rake any steps TO con-
" .rff-lIse or childbirth among |
! 't1y, normal. sane persons. I think
We would have a fine mess II we tried
""' such thing. There Is only one re-
S'''' % which steps should be taken ,
!" lnrt direction. and that has been |
,'.'N shown in the work OF men like |
'.lIlrl ami others. That Is, we should |
',i''Sa'e and prevent the reproduction
W .'" feeble minded" |
.'H'Dr ogden l.. Mills. chairman NJ |