Evening star., 1932-05-19
'B|RTH PREVENTION
ARGUED AT HEARING
House Committee Receives
Advocates VieWs-Sena-
tors Hear Opponents.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
While advocates Of birth control were
taking advantage of the first oppor-
tunity since 1873 to present their views
before a House committee, the Senate
Judiciary Committee today heard
strenuous opposition.
Testifying on the Hatfield bill to
permit dissemination of contraceptive
information by physicians, DR. William
Gerry Morgan, dean of the Georgetown
University Medical School and past
president Of the American Medical As
ISOLATION, said the legislation was dan
gerous, that all contraceptive methods
have more or less harmful effect" "
and that there is no foundation for the
charge that doctors are handicapped
in dispensing advice to mothers suffer-
ing from physical inf1rmity.
And God forbid that they should
desire to offer it to any Others" he
added. Morgan said he did not believe
the medical profession as a whole
favored any such legislation. observ-
ing that the medical association only
last week refused to indorse this or
any other legislation for the same
purpose.
DR.. Ryan Presents Views.
DR.. John A. Ryan. economist and
social worker, said: Advocacy of birth
prevention as a remedy for poverty
divertS attention from measures of eco
nomic and social justice. The propa-
ganda for birth prevention helps
to continue cruel injustice to the
working classes"
He argued that the present great
decline in birth rate already was hav-
80 harmful effects on this country and
tnat an increase in birth prevention
Will bring the population to a station
ary level even before the 1945-1970
period, at which this is now due.
In addition to economic arguments,
however, Ryan said: My fundamental
objection to this practice is based
upon the fact that it is intrinsically
and everlastingly immoral"
Under leadership Of Mrs. Margaret
Sanger, outstanding leader in the cause,
a dozen speakers, doctors, clergymen,
sociologists spoke before the House
Ways and Means Committee for pas
sage of bill by Representative Han
COCK, Democrat, of North Carolina
which would relax present prohibitions
to permit physicians to disseminate
birth control information.
Mrs. Sanger Testifies.
"Forty-seven States permit physicians
to give contraceptive advice" Mrs.
Sanger said, but while they can advise
orally. they must bootleg their sup
plies"
Mrs. Sanger said only two countries
France and Italy. had laws like that
Of the United States
She advanced seven reasons for birth
control, among them martial adjust
ment"
Through it," she said, "our young
people could marry early and adjust
and establish themselves in marriage
before assuming the responsibility OF
parenthood "
Representative Mccormack. Demo-
crat. of Massachusetts, asked Mrs. San
ger if she were advocating trial mar
riage.
Il am soti" she answered. It am
advocating permanent marriage"
When poverty and unemployment
are rampant over the country we do not
need wholesale production of babies,
she added
Representative Hancock made strong
presentation of the arguments advanc-
ed by its proponents" but said he him
self had not studied the matter suf-
ficiently to form q conclusive opinion.
He argued it, however, as an emergency
measure.
This plea, though unheard before on
the House side, already has been pre-
sented to the Senators
Among witnesses with Mrs. Sanger
were DR.. w. F. Shallenberger, Atlanta.
Ga, obstetrician; Rabbi Sidney E. Gold
stein of New York, DR.. Walter r. Stokes
of Washington, Rev. Charles Francis
Potter of New York, Mrs. Charlotte
Perkins Gilman, writer and lecturer;
Prof. L. Foster Wood of Rochester, sec
retary of the Committee on Marriage
and the Home of the Federal Council of
Churches; Prof. Robert c. Dexter of
Boston, and Miss Winfred Chappell of
New York, secretary of the Methodist
Federation for Social Service.