The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1959-12-04
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BY this country to underde-
veloped nations.
Last September, a report
prepared for the Senate For
eign Relations Committee by
the Stanford Research Insti-
tute recommended that the
U. S, study the possibility of
giving financial assistance to
, large-seale foreign testing Of
, birth control devices.
. THE CATHOLIC BISHOPS
. statement was brought into
the political arena when Epis-
copal Bishop James A. Pike
of California attacked the
viewpoints it expresses and
challenged potential Catholic
candidates for president to
take a public stand on the
birth control issue.
Sen. John F. Kennedy of
Massachusetts, the first politi-
cal leader to express his views
said he thought it would have
been fairer if all potential
presidential candidates, in
stead of just those who are
Catholics, had been asked to
comment.
SEN. KENNEDY, a Catho-
lie who has been described as
the front runner for the Dem
ocratic presidential nominal
ton, said it would be "a mis-
take for the United States
government to attempt to ad-
vocate the Limitation of the
population of underdeveloped
countries"
"This problem involves i'm
partant social and economic
questions which must be solv-
ed by the people of those
countries themselves" he said.
"For the United States to i'm
tervene on this basis would
involve a kind of mean pat
riotism, which / think they
would find Objectionable"
The Massachusetts, Senator
said it would be "the great
est psychological mistake for
us to appear to advocate the
Limitation of the black or
brown or yellow peoples whose
population is increasing no
faster than in the United
States"
Asked what he would do if,
as president, he were faced
with the question in the form
of legislation enacted by Con-
gress or. recommendations
from advisors, Sen. Kennedy
said he would act in accord
with what he regards as the
best interests of the United
States.
OTHER POTENTIAL DEM.
r A presidential candi-
dates who have commented on
the issue include: Gov. Ed
mund G.. Pat) Brown of Cali
fornia, also a Catholic; Adlai
Stevenson, Democratic presi-
dental candidate in 1852 and
1855, a Unitarian; Sen. Stuart
Symington of Missouri and
Gov. G. Mennen Williams of
Michigan, both Episcopalians;
and Sen Hubert Humphrey of
Minnesota, a Congregations
list.
Among Republicans, Gov.
Nelson Rockefeller of New
York, a Baptist, has express
ed his views.
Gov. BROWN DECLARED:
'sThe problem of excess popu-
lation in various places of the
world is one of the most diff
ficult facing the world. How
to solve this problem demands
the best brains, scientifically,
morally and sociologically.
"The question of the regu-
lation of birth is something
that ! am not prepared to an
swer. I certainly don't be-
lieve this country has the
right 10 impose upon any 9TH
er country any particular
ideas it may have, nor inter-
fere with the religious prac-
tees of other countries.
IF we're unable to solve
the problem of surplus crops
in this country, I don't know
how we're going to solve the
problem of surplus people in
other countries"
MR. STEVENSON
20: "The United States
should not impose birth con-
troll programs on foreign
countries. But the United
States should not hesitate to
consider requests for aid to
birth control programs in
foreign countries where pop
ulation growth is inimical to
economic we'll being"
SEN. HUMPHREY SAID:
Population pressure is only
one of the several serious
problems facing underdevel-
oped countries. The issue Of
artificial birth control is not
before the Congress. Nor is it
enc on which our government
should set policy for other
nations and peoples. Nor
should any policy be adopted
to deny information and as
sistance if any nation deter
mines that it is essential to
its national welfare.
"AMERIcAN FOREIGN
AIR -Lz.IJ .z[ L. l1-J