Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1935-02-13
BY GRACE HENDRICK EUSTIs.

BY GRACE HENDRICK EUST1S.
An increase in population and relief
roll totals was cited by distinguished
speakers last night in plea for Fed
eral sanction of birth control before
700 guests assembled in the MayfloWer
Hotel for the Birth Control Comes Of
Age" banquet held on the 2lSt ami
versary of the movement.
The eloquence and enthusiasm of
Mrs. Pearl Buck. noted author. made
a deep impression on an audience al
ready familiar with her power as
writer of serious fiction. Another eff
fective address was made by the
gloomy but fiery Mrs. Margaret
Sanger, pioneer crusader and chair
man of the National Committee on
Federal Legislation for Birth Control
Other speakers included Mrs. Har-
riet Stanton Blatch. suffrage and vel
fare worker, who declared the action
of the House Judiciary Committee in
voting down a birth control bill was
only a minor sock on the chin. 1T
acted as a splendid tonic" Mrs. Batch
said. bringing us right up from our
rocking chairsi" Mrs. Lucretia NJ.
Blankenburg. distinguished and VEN
cradle Philadelphia leader. also held
the strict attention Of the gathering
Cake Has 81 Candles.
In honor of the anniversary celebra-
ton a huge birthday cake bearing Il
candles was placed before Mrs. San
ger. The room was darkened and
walters passed fancy ice cream molds
Lit from inside and fashioned in such
shapes as the American eagle, tablets
bearing inscriptions and a Chinese
pagoda. The latter was in honor OF
Mrs. Buck, who recently returned
from the Orient
At this time curtain was drawn
back from a stage at one end of the
banquet hall, revealing a life-sized
photograph of a chuckling baby. The
picture was framed in dark velvet
draperies and Lit by spotlight.
The dinner went through the usual
routine of such formal occasions,
with DR.. Ira S. Vile. pediatrician. of
New York City. acting as toastmaster.
The wheel horses Of the movement
we're there in full force, including Mrs
Katherine Houghton Hepburn of
Hartford, Conn, famous in her own
right as q fighter Of woman's causes
and also as the mother of Actress
Katherine Hepburn; Representative
Walter NJ Pierce, Democrat. of Ore
gon and Mrs. Pierce, the former an old
warrior in this battle, and others who
work year in and year out to establish
birth control permanently in this
country.
Right and Reason"
In her address. Mrs. Buck said:
"And in the future to come people
will be astonished that the things
for which Margaret Sanger fights
should ever have been opposed or
wondered at, or taken for anything
else than a matter of inevitable
human right and reason"
In direct contrast to the intel
lectual approach to the problem,
offered by Mrs. Buck, Mrs. Sanger,
looking very young and frail, with
her red hair brushed back from her
face, gave the audience a fight talk.
She begged for a million signers to
petitions. asking passage Of the new
Pierce birth-control bill. Repre-
sentative Pierce promised to reintro-
duce the bill in the House, despite
the vote of the Judiciary Committee.
Mrs. Sanger suggested that the
present administration organize a
Federal population bureau "as an I'M
mediate and imperative necessity to
survey our home resources"
If it is true" she stated. "that our
600, 900 in 1880 to 144,000,000 at the
end of 1884. then certainly we have a
right to ask of our Government, in
| fact to demand to know from what