Evening star., 1934-01-17
BIRTH LIMITATION
HELD SOCIAL NEED
iConference Here Told Lack
of Policy Will Drive Nation
, Toward FasciSm.

An aggressive policy for birth control
Is democracys strongest defense against
fascism or a socialized state, Leroy 8.
Bowman Of the Child Development In
stitute, Columbia University, declared
today in an address before the Ameri-
can Conference on Birth Control and
National Recovery at the Mayflower
Hotel.
Depression may lead to either fas-
cism or q socialized state" the speaker
said. THE trend may be judged.
among other evidences, by the measures
taken by the Government on birth con-
troll"
Mr.. Bowman described the efforts Of
Hitler and Mussolini to increase the
populations Of Germany and Italy as
'cruel, senseless and socially destruc-
tive"
These measures, the speaker said,
must Of necessity produce inferior hu-
man beings. He declared the oppor-
tunity for training and development
enjoyed by children of the masses is
lessened by the addition OF every child.
With regard to the present atua-
ton in the United States. Mr.. Bowman
said that when 1.-The families on relief
rolls bear too many children. this cir
cumstance lessons the opportunity for
obtain adequate training for citizen
ship"
In conclusion, Mr.. Bowman said "the
netd Is for immediate assumption by
communal and public organizations Of
an aggressive program of birth control
heretofore hindered by passive refusal
TO repeal antiquated and anti-social
prohibitive laws
Another speaker on the third days
program was James H s. Bossard, pro-
fessor Of sociology, University Of Penn
sylvania, who declared citizens who are
obliged to pay taxes for the support Of
their destitute fellows should interest
themselves in birth-control measures
for the community.
Proposes Sterilization.
with our relief and other social well
fare expenditures as high as they are"
Prof. BOSsard said, rs ii not time that
the program Of sterilization of the UNIT
should be considered anew and with the
utmost seriousness? Twenty-seven years
ago the State of Indiana passed the
first sterilization law. At the present
time there are such laws on the statute
books OF 26 States" The speaker de-
clared the time has now come TO en-
force these laws.
The medical section Of the confer
ence yesterday indorsed two pending
bills IN House and Senate by which
contraceptive advice would be placed
nf l1o{r
A copy of the resolution will be sent
and to the District Medical Society,
with a view to urging further medical
indorsement Of the legislation on which
hearings open tomorrow.
The resolution pointed out that med
icsl knowledge exists for preventing
conception. but said that in many
places such advice is now "in the
hands of Quacks and Charlatans instead
Of under the direction and control OF
physicians.
d. c. Physician Presides.
Presiding over the session which
passed the resolution was DR.. Prentiss
Wilson, president Of the District Med
ical Society.
The conference heard Dr. A. Lovett
Devices, chief Of staff of the Philadel-
phia Maternal Health Center, urge
birth control on the basis of a "rou-
tine part OF medical practice
Physicians generally should be trained
In teaching contraception. he said
1T should be as easy for a woman tC
consult her doctor about prevenceptior
as about rheumatism"
Devices took issue with the 1878
statute under which the dissemn1ina- =
tion OF information about birth control
was prohibited as "obscenity"
There is nothing more obscene about
preventing conception than about pre-
venting ricketts," he said.
The conference is being held pre-
liminary to hearings that will start to-
morrow on the Pierce bill to repeal the
birth-control section OF the 6O-year- old
Federal law. Mrs. Margaret Sanger
birth-control crusader. called the con-
ference.
Dr. Morris s. Baskin. director Of the
Denver Maternal Hygiene Bureau, ad-
vocated human immunization by vac
cination as the most simple. safe and
effective method for future birth con-