Evening star., 1959-12-20
Mclaughlin Asks
Legal Opinion
On Hospital Plan
By BETTY MILES
Star stan Writer

IIleTe are any legal obstacles 10
giving out birth control in
formation to charity patients in
the city hospital.
If there aren't any, Com
missioner Robert E. McLaugh-
lin said. he and his two fellow
Commissioners "at least are 60
ing to consider it in our dis
cusSions here"
Mr.. Mclaughlin said he ex-
poets report from Corpora
ton Counsel Chester H. Gray
within the next few days"
Both Mr.. Mclaughlin and
Commissioner David B. Kar-
rick have said they approve
giving information on birth
control to patients at D. C.
General Hospital. Mr.. Karrick
said he would refer Roman
Catholic patients, whose re-
ligion opposes the use of arti-
fetal contraceptive devices, to
their priest or to a Catholic
physician. Mr.. Mclaughlin,
however. said he felt informa-
ton should be made available
to any patients who asked for
it, adding, It don't feel we have
any business getting into their
religious beliefs and afilia-
tions."
Mr. Mclaughlin said he re-
garded a statement issued last
week by the executive board Of
the District Medical Society "as
support for the position both of
us Che and Mr.. Karrick) have
taken"
Society Statement
The statement issued by the
leaders of the medical society
declared: The Medical Society
believes that information on
the various methods of child
spacing and reliable contracep-
tives should be made available
to those charity patients who
need and desire it,"
DR.. Frederick E. ReiSsig, ex-
ecutive secretary of the Coun-
Gil of Churches of the Ma
tional Capital Area, yesterday
released the following state
ment from the councils board:
"The board of directors here
by goes on record as believing
in family planning as related
to the number and spacing Of
children. We hold that it is
morally proper for a man and
wife to make use of tested and
medically approved means for
the purpose of such family
planning and. practiced respon-
sibility and in Christian con-
science. in no way violates the
will of God but rather fulf1lls
it,"
The council is composed Of
representatives of Protestant
churches in the area.
ReiSsig Statement
At the same time, DR.. Reissig
released a statement passed
last January by the councils
board and sent to the Com
missioners. In it, the board
requested that the District of
Columbia make certain that
there be no infringementS of
the rights of persons in inStitu-
tionS under the District Gov
ernment with reference to re-
ceiving information or medical
treatment as it pertains to FAM
lily planning or birth control"
DR.. Reissig said the state
ment was intended to cover
other Government agencies as
well as District General Hos
pital.
Advice for Unwed?
AS to giving birth control in
formation to persons who are
not married, DR.. Reissig de-
clared: There are certain
irresponsible people outside of
marriage who under a doctors
advice and on the recon-
mendation of a social worker
perhaps should receive infor-
nation or medical treatment
along this line" DR.. Ressig
said he was not advocating
that all unmarried persons who
asked for the information be
given it.
The birth control issue was
raised locally by the clergy
committee of the Planned
Parenthood Association after
the Junior Village Committee
of the D. C. Health and Well
fare Council, considering a
recommendation that the Dis
trict give birth control infor-
nation, ordered the recommen-
dation deleted from report
on the plight of the city'S poor,
released November 90.
The Most Rev. Patrick A.
O'Boyle, Archbishop of WASH
ington, returned yesterday aft
er visit to the Vatican in
Rome and an audience with
Pope John XIII. Archbishop
O'Boyle left Washington the
same day the report was re-
leased.
Asked for comment on the
issue, he said:
Il have just returned from
Europe and therefore I have
not had an opportunity to
study all the statements made
on this issue. I sincerely hope
that in all this discussion the
virtues of charity and justice
will dominate. This whole mat
ter was treated at great length
by the late Pope Plus XII who
spoke with clarity and sympa-
thy. I suggest that his full
statements on this subject be
read"