Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-14
BIRTH CONTROL HIT
AS COMMUNIST|C
Foes of Bill to LegaIize In
formation on Practice
Testify Today.
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
Opponents. of the Gillett bill to
legalize dissemination of birth control
information today marshaled their
testimony before the Senate judiciary
Subcommittee.
Ralph Burton of Washington, repre-
senting the National Patriotic League,
declared advocates of birth control
''have been ussd as cats paws by Com
lnunistic propagandists."
He said passage of the bill proposed
by Senator Gillett, Republican. Massa-
chusetts. would break down the mar
riage state and foster free love"
Advocates Already Heard.
A lengthy list of those supporting the
measure appeared yesterday.
Representative Mccormack, Demo-
crat, Massachusetts,, asseiled what he
described as the principal argument
advanced by the proponents yesterday
namely, that the world is in danger
of overpopulation."
The earth he said. "is capable of
supporting 1000, 100000 and now con-
tains only about l,750, 100000.
The evils of poverty and disease do
not flow frcm overpopulation, but from
failure of government to combat them
properly"
Bad Results Feared.
'oThis bill would facilitate and en-
courage the distribution into every part
of the country of obscene and indecent
publications. said William F. Mon
tavon of the National Catholic Welfare
Conference.
In his latest annual report the POST
master General comments IN no un~
certain terms on the danger already
existing. This bill would open the
fioodgates and would irremediably IN
lure the morals along with the health
Of the Nation" He said, passage would
''in great measure nullify" existing laws
in many States prohibiting circulation
of birth-control information.
Mrs. Norton Opposes.
1T challenge the statement that
thousands of women are sponsoring
this BILL" said Mrs. Mary T. Norton,
Democratic Representative from New
Jersey.
paid lobbyists of the Birth Control
League should not be COMPOUNDED with
the fine womanhood of America, the
vast army of mothers. who consider the
bearing of children their greatest
privilege.
'The advocates of birth control
would have you believe that children
lls
and many other horrible things, when
as a matter of fact they are the great
est gifts of God.
"The dissemination of birth control
literature would be unnecessary If men
and women would practice self con-
troll"
Finds Doctors Against Bill.
"The distinguished men and women
of the medical profession are arrayed
against the bill" Mrs. Morton said. II
have personally discussed this matter
with the leading doctors in my State
and found that SO out of IS were abso-
lutely opposed to the dissemination of
birth control literature. believing that
such literature would fall into the
hands of adolescents and cause much
human misery.
1T is said continually that this in
formation is necessary to the poor. 1
resent such implications and challenge
its honesty.
The proponents further contend
that they are concerned with the
health of women. Surely they must
know that nothing abnormal and con-
trary to the law of nature will tend to
safeguard the health of any woman.
Presents Moral Plea
DR.. Howard Kelly, president emeritus
of Johns Hopkins University, said he
spoke for the great mass of American
men and women Protestant and Cath
Ollie, in presenting moral plea.
Referring to a statement by DR.. j.
Whitridge williams of the johns Hop
kins faculty concerning giving informa
ton to women in i'll health, he said,
Doctors are permitted to give such ad-
vice to sick people and will continue to
do So
DR.. Kelly protested against degrade
ton" which he said resulted from the
use Of contraceptives. He condemned
the gross immortality Of pamphlet re-
Gently published in Brooklyn" adding
he would feel like shooting a man who
put such a pamphlet in the hands Of
one Of my four daughters"