Evening star., 1962-09-20

place for horses, dogs, and
veterinarians. It also has q
low per capita tax rate. The
Warrenton Horse Show Is
one Of the finest social events
Of the Washington area. 1t
is a place for people, horses,
and dogs Of fine breeding.
Some of the Virginia aristoc-
racy have been supplanted
by wealthy families from the
outside who find the atmos-
phere congenial, the people
charming the scenery beauti-
full, and the tax rate low.
Within limits the society is
q refinement Of the 18th
century English squirearchy.
In such a society genetics is
important for horses, dogs,
and people.
The breeding Of the poor
(medically indigent) beyond
a certain point is like over
grazing o meadow or multi
plying horses or dogs with
out pedigree. The doctors at
the hospital have worked out
q plan, and with their pres
tige and superior education
have persuaded Q number Of
underprivileged (medieally
indieent) women, both white
and colored, that voluntary
sterilization Is the answer to
their social and personal
problems. There are more
imaginative and humane
ways Of solving both social
and personal problems, but
this has the advantage, of
absolute simplicity: you cut
off the supply Of the people
who have the problem. It has
other advantages. 1t will help
preserve the present social
structure Of the county, pro-
tect the tax rate, and prevent
the growth Of o population
that cannot be absorbed in
the small towns or by the
landed gentry and that is not
well enough educated to find
adequate employment else
where. 1t does not take much
imagination also to look into
the future after a population
explosion am ong the poor
and underprivileeed in Fau-
quier County and find them
clamoring for the breakup of
the larger estates.
Certain religious leaders.
Protestant, Cath ollie, and
Jewish. failed to appreciate
Cne simplicity Of this solution
and suggested o set Of more
complex and enduring values.
These arguments had little
impact because the SQUIRE
archy, the medically indi-
gent. the practitioners, and
other non-intellectual groups
nave never had much grasp
OF abstract ideas. Historically
the squirearchy has always
found the more demanding
religious values as useful AZ
Q hound with q bad scent.
J. X. NeiIl.
=
Virginia has q record for
producing realists. When
James Madison spoke Of pro
tecting the people against the
tyranny Of their own pas
sions" he was on the subject
OF politics. but I daresay he
would also champion the ster-
ilization program Of Fauouier
County.
One Of the arguments
against the program is that
birth reduction Ia mora hu-
namely achieved by birth
control. The missed point
mere. one on which I've been
informed by medical people.
is that the great majority of
lower-class, INDECENT women
cannot comprehend how to
use standard contraceptiye
devices for females. This
sounds incredible, but it's
true. With males of this class.
virility and manliness are
usually measured by fecund-
ity. Also. contraceptives are
considered emasculating for
men. With both sexes, the
proverbial ounce of preyen-
ton is often overruled by sew
eral more ounces of alcohol.
In addition to voluntary
operations. I think that any
woman who has her second
illegitimate child should be
required to be sterilized. To
anyone who would toss Alex-
ander Hamilton and Lord
Nelson at me. I toss them
right back with the reminder
that these men were the
products of natural selection.
unlike the barnacles produced
by our welfarism. Now, in
stead Of nurturing heroes, we
perpetuate our worst inade-
quacies by using public funds
to keep them alive and to
encourage them to reproduce.
Florence King