The Washington times., 1920-02-02
1" = Birth Control Danger
n6 " Might Prevent Lincoln.
u WI An Old Discussion.
Still New in America.
BY ARTHUR BRISBANE.
Copyright. 1900

"To be or not to be" is never
decided by the child that comes
into the world; often not by
parents, but left to accident.
Birth control, enabling men and
women to control family increase,
is discussed openly everywhere
except in the United States, where
it is discussed a little.
The subject is reviewed in
pioneers of Birth Control" by
Victor Robinson, published by
the Voluntary Parenthood League,
2O6 Broadway, New York City.
This book gives no information
as to methods of birth control;
otherwise it's title would not be
published here. Only a man sure
of his wisdom would assume re-
sponsibility for telling how to
keep children out of the world.
Men and women Of highest
character have both opposed and
advocated widespread. knowledge
as to birth control. 1t may be
that such knowledge now would
be beneficial. There is no doubt
absence of such knowledge has
been most fortunate in times
past.
Birth control advocates quote
Millions Paradise LOST"
l.
To be to others cause of misery.
Our own begOtten and of our
lOins to bring
Into this cursed world q woeful
race;
In this power
1t lies, yet ere conception to pre-
vent
The race unbIessed, to bring yet
unbegOt."
Dreadful stories are told of
children-ten, fifteen and more
born in city garrets or dark eel
lars, creeping in the slums for a
little while, then buried. Why
bring them into life? you ask.
Yet, if birth control from the
beginning had been understood,
you might imagine Nancy Hanks
and her husband, Lincoln, saying
to each other: LET us wait until
we cover this dirt floor with
boards, until we have one or two
windows to let in the sunlight.
1t would be unfair to bring chill
dren into the world in such a
place as this" If that conversa-
ton had occurred and birth con-
troll had been understood, the
word might not have had Abra-
ham Lincoln.
Life at best has been hard.
Every birth has meant agony for
The mother ever since Ewes fool
ish sin fastened the curse upon
her.
Children are a burden, "hos-
.ages to fortune" The earth
needed population that it would
never have had if our primitive
ancestors had understood birth
control.
Are human beings sufficiently
civilized now to possess the knowl-
edge that has been wisely kept
from them? If so, they should
have the knowledge, otherwise
not.
One thing is certain-human
beings are sufficiently far ad-
vanced at least to discuss prob
lens. The human race is no long
er made up of a few that read
and think, of many that dig and
take their opinions from their
betters.
In Holland birth control is pub
hcly taught, with government
sanction. The poorest woman is
permitted to decide whether or
not she will become a mother to-
day or postpone the responsible
ity. Holland has cut down the
percentage of death, has grown
in population and has the lowest
infant mortality in Europe. That
should be known.
In the United States, on the
other hand, where it is illegal to
give information on birth control,
there is more abortion, which
means killing children before
birth, than in any other country in
the world.
Malthus, an English clergyman,
is called the father of birth con-
troll. He advocated mo more
children than the condition of the
country can afford" He was de-
nounced as ungodly, although his
suggestion was substantially,
Control yourself; don't marry
until you are well along in life,
when you will have fewer chill
dreu, and live in virgin morality
meanwhile" That suggestion has
never taken strong hold on any
population, anywhere.
Next as a birth control advocate
comes James Mill, whose article
in the Encyclopaedia Britannica
supplement, one hundred years
ago, declared the best means Of
checking population to be the