South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-06-12
NEW LAWS ENFORCE
PARENTS TO LOOK
AFTER CHILDREN
Belgians Enact Legislation to
Affect INDECENT
Parents.

NEW YORK, June 11.-Disease
and poverty as an aftermath of war
have caused the Belgian government
TO enact a law forcing INDECENT par
ents to give their children over TO
governmental instruction. according
10 DIR. Albert GOuvaerts, of Brussels.
Government supervision of chill
dren was found to be necessary" de-
clared DIR. Gouvaerts. who came to
the United States to make a study
of health work in this country with
a view to adapting American meth
DDS TO the program Of the Belgian
Eugenics society, which he repre-
sents.
I'VE suffered much in a material
way in Belgium during and since the
war, but the terrible loss of life,
especially among the children, from
devastation and disease was the
greatest calamity in the history of
our nation.
Parents, poverty stricken and
mentally unfit 10 rear their children
made the governments duty obvi-
Gus. We could not afford to permit
the mentality of our nation 70 de-
teriorate. Children are too precious
/ TO be allowed TO go to waste through
lack Of nourishment and proper edu-
\ cation. 1t was quite plain that we
must provide for better and stronger
generations by passing good laws.
/ And so the Belgian Eugenics society
I pushed the passage Of the law which
takes children away from their par
eats and gives them an education.
Our organization has opened
/ clinics throughout Belgium for the
purpose of teaching mothers how to
care for themselves. We send lee
/ turers throughout the country to
! give advice 10 those who need it.
I'VE also have sponsored a meas
| ure, whcih we hope soon will be
passed, making IL necessary for par
\ ties 10 marriage contracts to present
\ their papers prior TO the perform
ance OF the marriage ceremony.
\ showing that both are mentally and
physically At TO wed and become
parents.
Here in your great country find
a miscOnception among people as TO
! the real meaning of eugenic work
]
/ doctrine OF eugenics teaches than
/ only ideal men and women should
mate. II teaches nothing OF the sort.
Our doctrine does, however.
I teach that weak, ailing men and
women should not marry, at least
until their condition improves. We
/ believe in fostering the strongest
and best traits in men ard women.
I thus equipping them 10 become fl
as mothers and fathers.
Certain diseases seem TO be in
durable. and, therefore, those infect
/ ed with them should not be permit
! ted TO marry. 1t should be very, very
obvious to all intelligent folk that
strong. healthy generations cannot
be born OF parents who are weak,
either mentally or physically.
The governments Of all nations
| should follow the lead taken by
/ Belgium. even though their peoples
I may not have suffered the slaughter
which caused the poverty and men
tai wretchedness Of so many fathers
and mothers in our country.
! ITS the duty Of governments TO
| place restrictions upon the mentally
and physically weak, for they know
not what they do. Clinics 10 ex-
+ anime men and women who intend
10 marry and 10 correct the defects
OF their physical and mental being
would save the sufferings OF many
/ children. Il is unfortunate that
| precious little creatures should be
/ brought into the world with handi-
caps which they may never over
/ come-handicaps caused by the
I folly CT intermarriage Of weddings"