The Washington herald., 1919-06-13
BIRTH CONTROL
IS A NECESSITY
So Declares British Health
Ohcer-Need Al
Babies.
By c. kIilick MIIlard. M. u. Health

BY q. killick Millard, M. d, Health
Omcer for Leicester.
London--what Is the relation be-
tween the league of nations and
the cry. More Babiesr-
Perhaps the answer may not be
apparent at first Let me approach
II from an unexpected angle.
The last report Of the Birth-rate
called attention to the
fact that there is a very direct re-
lation between a growing birth
rate and nationalistic tendency
toward aggression and expansion
of territories. mot only. for the
peaceful settlement but also for the
conquest and subjugati,t and ex-I
of weaker peoples" This
always remains a chief cause OF In
ternational disputes and wars.
Was not the Pan-German dream
of national expansion and world
supremacy the most important pre-
disposing factor leading to the
frightful var just ended? And was
not this dream fostered and en-
couraged by the rapid growth of
population due to the high birth
rate which prevailed in Germany
until recent years? II the decrease
in the birth-rate, which set in in
Germany some fifteen years ago.
had only begun. say. twenty-five
years earlier. the deadly doctrine of
Pan-Germanism would have been
sapped at the roots.
1t is a matter of general gTatifi-
cation that the league of nations
scheme-which will substitute ar
bitration for the tyranny of war
-obviates the need for persistency
to the point of unreasonableness of
the cry, More babiesr' To those
who would still raise this cry be-
cause of the so-called Yellow Peril
in the East ! would point out that
the population of the Far East is
not increasing so fast as that OF
Europe. in spite of the high birth
rate which obtains, because the ter
ribly high rate of infant mortality
more than neutralizes the increase.
Quality vs.. Quantity.
In the pre-war days, and indeed
during the war, those of us who
were bold enough to point out that
the quality of babies brought into
the world was more important than
the quantity were told it was es-
sential to increase the population
as rapidly as possible, irrespective
OF quality; otherwise Britain would
lose her position as a first-class
pOweF-so the argument ran.
The same argument was used in
ali countries at war, with the re-
suit that simultaneously with the
competition in production of mate
rial for staying there ran a COM
petition in the production of new
life. In fact. all over the world
there was an outcry for more ba-
bies. This demand was based on a
desire for national expansion mas
querading under the name of patri-
Ctism.
Now that even a specious neces-
aity for competition in international
birth rates is out of the way. we
can safely and profitably pay more
attention than in the past to the
quality rather than the quantity of
the nations babies. To do this we
must encourage birth control. Let
us have all the Al babies we can
get. but let us discourage the pres
ent high proportion of those OF the
C3 class.
Church Urges Birth Control
In a recent Private Memorandum
on the Misuse of Marriage" issued
by the Church for the use of its
clergy. it was frankly admitted that
there was a need for birth control
under certain circumstances-that is,
when material means of support are
deficient. or the health Of the mother
calls for it. More recently the Bishop
of Hull said at meeting OF the
Lower House of Convocation OF York.
IF we are to have a league of ma
tions the Church must modify her
attitude of blessing large families
and of saying. Be fruitful and null
tipIy.'"
4 knowledge of birth control ought
to be available for all who desire it,
and my own experience as health Of
ficer Of Leicester tells me that many
poor CO parents earnestly do desire
It, Regular birth control clinics are
in operation in Holland which are
recognized by the State. and at these
poor, overburdened mothers can get
proper advice and practical instruc-
ton from sympathetic women doc
tors
What we need for the future Is a
larger proportion than hitherto OF
sturdy. healthy children. Sane birth
control methods can achieve this
peed.