Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1917-02-05
RESIDENT is
|. PLEDGED SUPPORT
IN RESOLUTION
Mrs. Thompson Objects to
Method Of Committing
Feeble Minded
THREE HOUSE BILLS
PASSED BY SENATE
Resolution Upholding Presi-
dent Goes Over Until After
noon Session

In connection with the momentous
situation now confronting the national
government in its relatios with Ger
may, the house 0R representatives this
adopted a resolution approving
and sustaining the action of President
Wilson in severing diplomatic relations
with Germany and pledging the assist
anee of the state of Oregon and its peo-
pie to whatever end the crisis may lead
The resolution also urged that all alien
born residents of the state be loyal to
the country that has given them pro-
lection and liberty. The resolution was
then sent to the senate for action. 1t
was one of the first pieces of business
before the house when it reeonvened
after the weekend recess.
One Bill Passed.
The passage of one bill, the indefinite
postponement of three others, the with
drawal one one measure and the re-
referring of two other measures formed
the principal business of the house at
its session this morning, when it con
vened shortly after 1880 o'clock.
The bone of contention this morning
was Mrs. Thompson s bill relating to
methods of committing feeble minded to
the state institution. Because it was at
! first thought to carry an appropriation
ii was moved to refer the bill to the
committee ON ways and means but this
was objected to by Mrs. Thompson as
she said it did not carry any appropria-
tion or additional expense to the state
but merely provided the method OF com
mittment to the feeble minded institu-
! ton.
DR.. Sweeney sustained her objection
but Lewis said that bill confined the
same sort of provisions as senate bill
| No. 73, which relates to sterilization. He
| thought it ought to be referred to the
committee from whence it came so that
it could be harmonized with the senate
bill Mrs. Thompson objected TO this
also as she said her bill was much less
drastic than senate bill No. 10 in that
| it sought TO get the same effect hy n
milder method. Her method OF prevent
ing the propagation of the feeble mind
ed was to have them permanently com
mitted.
She declared the number of the feeble
minded was increasing at twice the rate
of the average pople and that there was
grave danger to the state ON that ac-
count. Feeblemindedness she saiu, was
due 70 per cent to heredity. With the
feeble minded boys and girls unrestrain-
ed in their liberty to procreate, there
was a serious menace to the state.
Her method Of preventing reproduc-
tion was by permanent commitment
where the patients would not be remoy-
ed from the usual environment that
leads to prOcreation of their kind. This
Imethod she said was favored by the
Oregon child welfare commission. She
declared the feeble minded girls easily
become the victims Of vicious men and
that girls are not safe when feeble
minded boys run at learge to prey on
them and satisfy their vicious appe
tites
+ She said the permanent commitment
method had an economic reason. Sh'
. said it was found that these patients
, when taken out of the exciting environ
q |mcut were curablc and became partially
/ se'f-supporting and that in this way
q the expense Of taking care of them wa'
. reduced. The expense of clothing ma,
be borne by the parents Of the feebl'
@ minded child while the expense OF com
o mittmcnt is to be borne by the state
e according to the provisions of the bill
Q Representatives. \. Jones and Child
/. objected to the bin because it would in
e crease the inmates of the state institu
n tions to large extent, for winch n
II provision has been made in the apprC
priation Lewis asked TO have II refer
d red TO the ways and means committe
49,