The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1920-03-06
THEHASKINLETTER
WILL THE STORK STRIKE?
BY FREDERIC ]. HAsKIN.

NEW YORK, March 6--Strikes and
rumors of strikes are so common these
days that we are fast accepting them
as normal part of our national life
Daily newspaper announcements that
| the buttonmakers have walked out, or
that the cloak models are demanding
better living wage, cause not one
tremor in the stout heart of the av-
erage citizen of today. But one strike
has been called recently which is SO
the most hardened of us sit up and
take notice This is a birth strike of
five years duration, advocated by Mar
garet Sanger. head of the birth con-
troll movement In this country.
The time was and not so long ago,
any gathering was followed by scan
dalized silence, and the future ostra-
cism of the rash and unconventional
mentoner. But now there is hardly
debutante who can not quote glib
statistics on the subject. Most of the
big periodicals, and many of the larger
newspapers, are discussing it openly
and unhlushingly Those of us who
believe that ignorance and silence have
never aided the solution Of any vital
question Of national welfare may well
be encouraged by the growth of this
pFodu ~Hllnueu dlllluue. WHelHtI we
are for or against the principles of birth
control the fair thing to do is to allow
both sides of the movement to state
their cases clearly and then decide the
matter for ourselves, as American Citt-
zens, governing and untrammeled
by superstition, are popularity supposed
to do,
The main reason for the growing in
terest in birth control is not the Senti-
mental one of saving the poor under
nourshed mothers Of the Sums from
lives of hardship and early graves, or
of preventing the birth of unwanted
children in already crowded families
where they viii never have a fair
chance of surviving and developing into
anything but burden to the state,
Rather it is purely economic reason
of such obvious urgency that even gov
ernnent officials in some countries are
beginning to consider it. The late
Lord Rhondda, formerly food controller
Of Great Britain. says 'the end of the
unproductivc five years Of the war
found Europe with exhausted credit 4
shortage of food, and other primary re
duirements of life. All THIS means in
dustrial DISCRIMINATION for some years
to come. 1t means hardship ana
coupled with the food situation it
considerable portion of the European
population for a considerable part OF
The lifetime of the children now being
born. And these conditions in Europe
will inevitably have their effect upon
America. This world is so closely KNIT
together that no part OF II can su,,er
without bringing suffering to the rest.
1t is this situation which is respon-
sibIe for Margaret Sangers birth strike
1t seems the logical thing to her, and
to many other thinking people, TO try
to feed, clothe and educate the chll-
dren already in the world and prepare
them as best we can for their huge
task of paying for the war, rather than
In thrust hordes of new babies into
world unable to feed them properly
OF course there is another group OF
serious thinkers who advocate Just the
reverse. As a cure for all our troubles
they want more children and stu more
The only way to decide which plan
is hest Is to look at the examples OF
fered us by countries which do practice
birth control and compare them Win
those which do not say the birth controi
supporters. Take Holland for instance.
Holland is shining example OF oirin
control country. for 90 years pu n3r,
birth control clinics have been man
tanned there with the consent OF the
government. AS a direct result, the
family limitation enthusiasts claim
and seem to have reason on their Slae
the death rate in Holland is the lowest
in the WOrld, Tor idlhV a. ~ 't"F
seem a high birth rate and high in
fant and mother mortality rate go hama
in hand. Also Holland was able to
support herself during the war with
out outside help because her popula-
ton did not exceed her food resources
And-when the men Of Holland We're
rnobfliZed as a war time measure thtE
were found to be 80 per cent ettlcieht,
as against our 60 per cent All TINS
noints out. say the birth control en-
tbusiasts. that it Is better to coneen-
trate 1Iuon the quality Of our citizens
than upon the quantity We al mus
admit that Holland is very pleasant
and highly respectable little country
They don't have birth control ChmcS
in Russia. and they don't have them N
china and they don't have them IN
india 1t viii also be remembered that
Germany was strong for big families,
H.r population increased l5,ooo. 900 IN
AZ wears and the pan-Germah dreams
81 national expansion grew and waXed
strong until Germany precipllated the
fearful world war
An instance worthy OF notice Is the
sudden interest which the japanese gov
cTnfgeut l. showing In birth control !
During the last six months 10 japanese !
nffirials hive sought Margaret Sanger |
~ oct the benefit of her wide knowl- |
edge and experience in the work Of