"Mrs. Sanger in Rebuttal"

MRS. SANGER IN REBUTTAL

TO THE EDITOR:

I have read Professor Hankin’s review of the book, My Fight for Birth Control with much interest. I am particularly interested to note that the very things he considers as weaknesses are spoken of by Havelock Ellis as being its strong points. I have not Ellis’ letter with me to quote from, or I could give the exact phrases, which would, I am sure, amuse you.

I should like to have Professor Hankins point out to me the “other persons” to whom “full credit” should be given. This is certainly something that I should want to correct. As I am already preparing for the next edition, I can very easily do this, if Professor Hankins will indicate to me the person or persons whom I have left out.

Furthermore, to my knowledge, Professor Hankins was not familiar with the facts of the earlier movement--at least I never heard of him until after 1922--and if he has knowledge which I have not of the movement preceding these years, I certainly would like to get it.

If Professor Hankins reviewed or read this book with the idea that it is a history of the movement or an autobiography, he is mistaken. It is neither, nor was it intended to be more than reminiscences of the part that one person played in the movement. In no place did I say that thousands of persons awaited my arrival at the Grand Central on my return from Europe. On page 78, I said that thousands of persons awaited the arrival of the children of the strikers of Lawrence, Massachusetts. I think that part should be read again and corrected. One can see how easily diverted a reviewer can be when he starts out with a “blind spot” somewhere in his sub-conscious.

MARGARET SANGER.
New York City