Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-09-27
'EUGEN|STS FAVOR
| CONTROL OF BIRTH
Physicians Advocate Limitation
of Families Where Poverty
and Illness Are Perils
APPEAL TO COLLEGE WOMEN

New York. Sent. 27.-Rirth control
TO prevent the transmission Of disease
and constitutional defects and the
birth of too many children in families
of small income where the latest born
are likely to be neglected was urged
by speakers yesterday at the Second In
fernational Congress Of Eugenics in the
American Museum Of Natural History.
Others deplored the failure Of college
bred women to raise more children.
The subject Of birth control has been
kept in the background, but among the
scientists who met yesterday. speaker
after speaker attacked the laws for
bidding physicians to impart informa-
tion on this subject. and urged family
limitation where economic or other cir
numstanccs meant that additional chill
dren would have to grow up In sickness
or squalor.
Woman CriticiBes Profession
DR.. Harriette A. Dilla. of Smith
College. was applauded when she mildly
reproached the medical profession for
submitting passively to laws Of this
kind. She said that the denial Of
scientific information resulted in crimes
and tragedies where women turned
away by medical men, resorted to ex
pedients suggested BY despair.
DR.. Irving Fisher, of Yala. who was
presiding. said that care had been taken
TO avoid identifying the congress with
'protagonists Of birth control but
that the subject was one which could
not be ignored.
'I think that without question" he
said, birth control is today the great
new factor affecting the future char
acter of the human race. Birth control
has in its power the determination Of the
future Of the human race.
DR.. s. Adolphus Knonf, whose sub
feet was "Eugenics in It's Relation TO
the Tuberculosis Problem" discussed
birth control as a means OF preventing
the transmission Of the disease or Of a
strong predisposition to it,
DR.. Knopf said that the healthiest
children as a rule were those of a
young couple who married ar a COM
paratively carly age. so that family
limitation by postponement Of marriage
was not a good solution He urged
early marriages and limitation Of
families to the number for which the
parents could well provide.
Favors Public Clinics
Even in our we'll to do and healthy
families. considered our best American
stock" he continued, "aud where larger
IamllcS WOuIu ne no DuIucu' VI '
marriages are unfortunately not On
rouraged. The opponents of birth con-
trol love to dwell on the theme of So
called race suicide. II this is applics-
Ole. it should only be spoken Of in such
instances where health. wealth and cul-
ture abound and still family limitation
is nracticed 10 very appreciable and
deplorable degree.
Dr.. Knopf favored the establishment
Of public birth control clinics in this
country. as in Holland and Eng and.
DR.. Louis I. Dublin, statistician ot
the METROPOLITAN Life Insurance Com
pany. said that great racial loss re-
sulted from the fact that women witt
higher education often remained un'
married and seldom raised many chill
dren. He deplored the action Of schoo
authorities here in discriminating
against mothers among school teacher
as "a reflection Of the unintelligent at
titude of the community. He urged
the college bred woman to look on mat.
rimony az a career with great and in
spring possibilities.