Margaret Sanger compiled her New York Call series, "How Six Little Children Were Taught the Truth," (see to and published them in 1914 in a booklet What Every Mother Should Know, (Rablelais Press). She also added this new conclusion. The first edition may have been published in 1911 by the Eugenics Publishing Company, but it has not been found.
One of the most important things which a mother must keep in mind is to give only such information, and in the manner suitable to the child's age. Children differ so greatly, that it is impossible to lay down any rules as to what and how much should be told at any age.
Some children are very curious, and very receptive always, while others have little curiosity and even when told sex truths, pay little attention to the telling, or seem little impressed by it.
It is for each mother to do as she finds advisable. Children will often ask a question very seriously and before one can formulate an answer, another question has been asked on an entirely different subject. But the fact that he has asked the question shows that the mind has awakened to this curiosity, and he will no doubt ask it again.
Mothers, be prepared! Do not force anything; it will all comein time if you keep close to the child in confidence. Just be prepared. When children are very young get them accustomed to the naked body. Let them run about naked at night, perhaps while undressing for bed. Let them bathe together or with you. If this is done very early at an early age you will soon find that a boy's thoughts are clean regarding the naked body. You can tell him the names of the different parts, for he will most likely ask, and his curiosity will often entirely cease. This is the type of boy who looks back upon life and feels he has "always known" the clean and beautiful of life.
This is the opportunity to tell how to care for the body. The teeth and nose should be cleansed morning and night. When there is any itching of the rectum or sexual organs this is often caused by uncleanliness and washing of these parts at once will often relieve the irritation.
Teach that no part of the body should be touched unnecessarily by any one, and when there is any discomfort of any kind to come to the mother, who will attend to it. See that no clothing on the child is tight or causes irritation, for this often leads a child to touch and handle himself and forms the habit of masturbation.
This is often acquired innocently, even at the creeping age, and the child becomes a victim and slave to the habit.
Keep a close watch over children for this habit, without making them conscious of it, especially if the child prefers to be alone or remains long in bed in the morning. These
are by no means positive symptoms of the habit, only when these signs are present keep your eyes open.
If you do find this habit is formed, keep him up at night until he is sleepy, or at least do not send him off to bed alone when he is not sleepy, to lie and toss about with this
temptation. Let someone read to him or tell him interesting stories which will divert his mind so he can fall asleep.
The same in the morning; do not allow children to remain in bed after they have awakened;do not have the bed too soft or the coverings too heavy; the room should be cool and he should lie on his side rather than on the back. Keep his mind busy with interest. Get him to call you whenever he feels the temptation, or to come where others are. If he soon be the victor. Always it is the same--confidence, confidence, is such a necessary part of the child'slife.
When a child is under four years of age is the ideal time to gain this confidence, forthen there is nothing personal in anything you say; all interests are general. There is no shyness or consciousness of sex. If this has been done, when he takes up the study ofthe birds more could be told him of the sexual parts; that as some day he was to be a father he was made differently than mother or sister because he had a different part to do in life's work. That he must keep well and grow strong in order to do this work.There need be no mystery about the sexual truths; impress upon in the sacredness of the process. There is no greater crime against a child than for a parent to allow a child to flounder about with half truths, gathered from polluted and corrupt associates.
Be deliberate in giving the child the truth, as much of it has he can take at a time, or as little, but have it the truth.
Mothers will be confronted with questions concerning the vilest words of the street. Tell him frankly their meaning in your own clean way, and the correct word to use in itsplace. You will find when his curiosity has been satisfied he will no longer be curiousor have any special desire to use these words.
Every child first turns to his mother in confidence for all these questions. Never turnhim off with a slight or embarrassed answer; just rely upon your knowledge, your natural knowledge, and answer him. Every mother can do it. Do not make a Sunday School lesson of these teachings, only to be taught once a week on very solemn occasions. Children hate being talked at; just be natural, simple, interesting, informal, and as often as theopportunity arrives.
This confidence and early understanding will bind you together far beyond that mostdifficult period, puberty, and enable you to strengthen the child's ideals of manhoodand womanhood.
New York, Feb. 16.
Editor Brooklyn Daily Eagle:
In your issue of Feb. 13 a letter from Mr. William A. Blehl needs correction.
The birth control bill S.4436 aims to allow physicians, hospitals and clinics only to use the U.S. mails and common carriers to send and receive such contraceptive articles, books and supplies as are needed.
It is an error to say the bill aims to reduce the population to overcome the present economic condition. The fact of the matter is that the passage of this bill would decrease tremendous misery, worry and anxiety in the lives of the poor mothers who go to hospitals and clinics for their medical advice, because they can seldom afford to consult a private doctor.
Mr. Blehls's childish announcement, "there is an overabundance of food supplies and a further depletion in population would only result in a still more overabundance" does not ring true. If there is an overabundance of food what good does it do the millions of hungry men and women walking the streets looking for jobs to buy it?
Large populations have not thus far in the history of mankind done more for civilization then plunge humanity into wars, hunger, disease, plunder, and crime. To talk nonsense at this time, with the economic facts of history before us is not only an expression of ignorance--it is malicious! Let those who want a big population make it possible for every child born and alive today to have a chance to live before they pratter about "overabundance" and "increase."
MARGARET SANGER Nat. Chairman, N.C.F.L.B.C.New York, Feb.16
The general aim of the birth control movement is to legitimatize the practice ofcontraception through scientific and hygienic methods, and to educate the adult public as to its advantages from the personal and social points of view. International in scope, the movement has been known under a number of names; in the British Empire as “neo-Malthusianism”; inFrance as “conscious generation”; and occasionally as “voluntary parenthood.”
In English-speaking countries the present movement derives from Malthus. In the second edition of his famous Essay on Population, published in 1903, the English clergyman first enunciated his law of the pressure of population upon the means of subsistence. The only solution he suggested for overpopulation was the practice of celibacy and late marriage. In 1826 Dr. Charles Knowlton, a Boston physician, was prosecuted for publishing a small book, The Fruits of Philosophy, advocating mechanical and chemical methods of contraception. In 1876-1877 Charles Bradlaugh and Mrs. Annie Besant were prosecuted and convicted for distributing that book among the working classes of Great Britain. Their conviction led to the foundation of the Malthusian League in 1878 by Dr. Charles Drysdale and his wife, Dr. Alice Vickery Drysdale. A Dutch League was founded in 1881. The neo-malthusians differed from Malthus in advocating contraception to prevent overpopulation and to reduce the birth rate.
The period between 1914 and 1921 in the United States was one of militant agitation and widespread publicity, partly as a result of several convictions of persons active in the movement for challenging federal and statelaws. In New York City in 1914, Mrs. Margaret Sanger began to advocate contraception on feministic and libertarian grounds,coining at that time the term “birth control.” The interest awakened in the whole question of contraception resulted in 1921 in the foundation of the American Birth Control League and of the Voluntary Parenthood League; also in the publication of a monthly periodical, the Birth Control Review, edited by Mrs. Sanger. The two organizations were subsequently combined under the name of the former.
Activities of the second period of the American movement, from 1921 to 1925, included the organization of local leagues, the education of public opinion, and campaignsfor the amendment of statutes which class the practice of contraception with obscenity and criminal abortion. During the third period, 1925 to the present, advocates of birth control have concentrated upon the establishment of clinics and research bureaus, and upon enlisting the interest and activities of physicians,biologists, biochemists, and social scientists generally. Results of these efforts are seen in the fact that no less than 55 clinics and bureaus are now operating legitimately in the United States (covering 23 cities and 13 states), dispensing contraceptive information to all persons legally permitted to receive it. InNew York State it is given to married people for the cure or prevention of disease. In California there are 12 clinics; there is one each in Baltimore, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Denver, Detroit, Newark,New Haven, and Philadelphia; there are six in Chicago; and New York City has eight in hospitals and one operating independently. In addition, a branch for colored women has recently been established in the Harlem section of New York City by the Clinical Research Bureau.
The year 1929 was marked by the establishment of 27 new clinics. The successful operation of such clinics and research bureaus, under medical direction, makes possible the scientific analysis of individual cases, and also statistical studies.Through the latter material is being developed for the replacement of untested theory with impartial analysis. Social agencies are beginning to cooperate with suchclinics. Owing to the widespread change in public opinion, physicians are more willing to give advice in private practice. Over 10,000 of them have expressed willingness to do so.
The birth control movement is exerting a noticeable influence upon eugenics and giving a new direction to programs for race-betterment; it has resulted in renewed consideration of the problem of the legal sterilization of the unfit; and has influenced programs for the control of the dependent, delinquent, and defective groups in society. It has been given consideration by many social agencies seeking to decrease maternal and infant mortality rates, particularly by the Committee on Maternal Health of New York City. Financial support of the birth control movement has been from independent and anonymous sources, with the exception of temporary support from the Brush Foundation of Cleveland. During 1929 a study of 10,000 cases was made by the Birth Control Clinical Research Bureau, and a study offertility and sterility by the Committee on Maternal Health.
No laws on the subject were passed during the year. Bills to amend the laws which prohibit contraceptive instruction were defeated in New York and Connecticut.
When this series was compiled and published as What Every Mother Should Know, (New York, 1914), this part was retitled Chapter 7, "Man's Development." For the new conclusion written for the book publication, see "What Every Mother Should Know:Conclusion."
]]>This is Part VIII of a an eight-part series entitled "How Little Children Were Taught the Truth". For Part I, see Oct. 29, 1911, for Part II, see Nov. 5, 1911, for Part III see Nov. 12, 1911, for Part IV see Nov. 19, 1911, for Part V-a see Nov. 26, 1911 and for V-b Dec. 3, 1911, for Part VI see Dec. 10, 1911.
When this series was compiled and published as What Every Mother Should Know, (New York, 1914), this part was retitled Chapter 7, "Man's Development." For the new conclusion written for the book publication, see "What Every Mother Should Know:Conclusion."
The great object which Bobby’s mother had in mind was to make these teachings of such anature that the children would be impressed with the truth that they are only PART ofnature’s great and wonderful plan.
They were reminded again and again of the stages of life--plants, frogs, birds andmammals; of the millions of years it took to bring about these wonderful creatures andthat at the top of the list, perfect, intelligent and supreme, stands man. Man, the most complex of all and the most perfect. What responsibilities are at his door!
It was most natural for the children to consider nutrition and reproduction as the twomost important essentials of any form of life.
Up to this point this was quite sufficient. The animals had instincts to nourish their bodies and also to procreate their offspring. This seemed their life object, but since man being the more intelligent, there must, of course, be other and broader outlets forthis great intelligence. Their own bodies was a subject which took months to cover in study. They were shown charts of the human figure (both sexes) and all parts of the body were named in the same way as parts of the flower were named. Parts of the organs of reproduction were called by their names in telling of the works each part performed. No special stress was laid on the naming of these parts, but simply, casually, as one would speak of the various parts of the eye, or any other organ. In the same manner they were told of the harm done to their bodies in handling or touching any one part unnecessarily. If the eye, ear or nose was dug into, we would surely greatly injure ourselves, perhaps losing the use of that organ for the rest of our lives. The generative organs are no exception in this. To tamper with this most wonderful part of nature’s machinery, means not only sickness, dullness of intellect, stupidity, physical and mental weakness, but of times disables a little child for life.
In order to grow into perfect manhood or womanhood, all parts of the body must be developed naturally. If a little bud of a flower were to be roughly opened, it fades and dies long before it can carry out the great object of its life, namely, to develop the baby seeds within it.
So with a boy or girl who carries within their bodies the making of a human life. How terrible to cause that little life to be shattered, just through ignorance and neglect.
The children were taught that there was one beautiful time to come to them--to look forward to and to hope for that time when they can look into a tiny baby face, clasp two tiny baby hands and feel this wonderful and beautiful creation a part of their being--the expression of their souls.
They were told to keep in mind this time which should come, and to keep their minds and bodies clean for this wonderful gift.
As all the children were still too young to go into the details of either menstruation or venereal diseases, it was considered best to dwell on the early tribes of man on up to marriage, and wait for future developments before going further. The tree dwellers and cave dwellers were already familiar stories to them. The fact that people lived together very closely; that the Woman had great freedom in choosing the man whom she wished to be the father of her child, even as freely as the animals chose their mates; that in this freedom great mistakes were often made, such as that for a period some mothers chose their sons or brothers, or fathers to be the father of the new little one; that after a time it was found that this was very injurious to this new little child, for he often could not walk, or talk, and was weak, and sometimes a cripple--and more often died very young.
So the chiefs of these tribes got together and said this must not be, for if this continued there would be no strong young men or women to till the soil or fight off the animals, wild beasts or the enemy. Then a law was made that only those of the different tribes or families should choose each other for the parents of the future children, and here the lesson of the Buttercups came in--that often Mrs. Buttercup would reject the pollen from the stamen in her own house, but would accept the pollen from another buttercup house and become fertilized with that.
The part the two sexes took in different ways to strengthen and develop the race seemed of great interest to the children.
The work of hunting and fishing was left to the men of the family, while equally important work, that of cleaning and cooking the food, was for the women. Men spent mucht ime in making tools and weapons. They were able to save much time and energy when the bow and arrow was invented, for, instead of taking all the time to creep upon a beast or enemy with a knife or sharp stone, he could remain at a distance and do the same work.Thus, men got a little more leisure time. With every new invention their labor and energy was saved, but it took much longer for labor-saving inventions for the women to come into use.
Gradually the marriage form came into existence, as these new tools and weapons becamemore valuable. Men wanted these to go to their very own children, so a law was passed that the man could choose any Woman he wanted to have for the mother of his children getting consent from the captain or chief of the tribe. If he received this consent, then she, the Woman, must live with him, love him, honor him (no matter what he did), and obey him in everything. Absolute submission was the law for the wife. If she objected to this and ran away she was cast out and was beaten. Other tribes had the same laws and dared not take her in, so she was left to die. If she did not like her husband and took another for the father of her child she was often not only cast into prison, but either stoned to death or burned at the stake.
Naturally, after years of this treatment, she became submissive and so dependent on man for her living that she dared not express herself aloud, merely as her husband allowed her to do so. If she was very beautiful she was not made to work, but the prisoners of other tribes who had been captured were made to work for her. Often the captain or chief had several wives, but the wife was allowed only one husband.
As the children had been taught the lives of the mother flowers, frogs, birds, bees and mammals, there was no reason why the history of Woman should not be taken up until they were ready for older work.
They loved to hear about this, and it seemed just as interesting to them as the other stories.
It is important that mothers teach children the true history of the race, and get the seed of truth planted for future cultivation.
The marriage laws have had many changes for the man, they were told, but few as far as the Woman is concerned. The different customs of women in different countries can be told them, and the general development of both men and women can occupy a great deal of time until the children are more ready to understand the true or real significance of the studies to be later dwelt on.
The children were never talked “AT,” but always “WITH.” They were allowed to talk freely and once or twice when the older children seemed a little conscious on taking up the matter of their own bodies, yet after a few minutes as the other children joined in the conversation they, too, forgot or over came the embarrassment and all went well.
The children were told frankly that some mothers did not like their children to know these things, that like the fairy tales and the story of Santa Claus, the mothers liked their children to believe that the stork brought them, or some other fairy tale. They were told that these things are NOT TO BE TALKED ABOUT WITH OTHER CHILDREN, and any time any child wished to know any thing about himself or any question whatever to come to the mother or father, but NEVER to other boys or girls. These children were taught the necessities for the excretions of the body--that in order to have good health this used up waste food must pass out of the body or it would become poison and the boy or girl become sick and die. There was no hurry in telling anything to the children. Most of this information was told on walks in the woods, or at times when they seemed to want to know. One story leads to another, and before long the children’s questions will bring everything from you which you wish to
tell.
The result of these teachings has been commented on by the school teachers of these children, who say they are so truthful, clean-minded, frank and open about all things that it is a pleasure to know them.
Every mother can teach her children the truth if she only knows it herself, and has the right attitude toward it. She can elaborate on this plan or outline as much as she wishes, but she must get down to the child’s world in order to make her teachings impressive and successful. The one unpardonable sin on the part of a mother is to let her children learn the truth elsewhere than from her own lips.
For an earlier entry in the same series, see "Birth Control, 1929." For a draft version see Margaret Sanger Papers Microfilm, Library of Congress, LCM 76:249.
The general aim of the birth control movement is to legalize the practice of contraception through scientific and hygienic methods, and to educate the public to its advantages as a health and economic expedient. Though the movement had its origin in England, it was in 1914 in New York City that Mrs. Margaret Sanger first coined the term “birth control” and challenged the federal laws by advocating birth control on feministic and economic grounds. There followed in 1917 the publication of the Birth Control Review, the formation of the Voluntary Parenthood League in 1919, and the organization in 1921 of the American Birth Control League.
The period from 1914 to 1921 was one of agitation, education, organization, and legislation. The National Committee on Maternal Health, organized in 1923, has for its purpose the scientific investigation of contraception, sterilization, and the general problems of sterility and fertility from the point of view of the practice of medicine andpublic health. In 1923 also the Birth Control Clinical Research Bureau was established in New York City. That Bureau--with which a large number of social and welfare agencies and hospitals are cooperating has instructed over 31,000 women since its organization. The first 10,000 case histories, under a grant from the Bureau of Social Hygiene, have been analyzed by a committee of specialists and the results are to be made available at a later date.
While efforts are being constantly made for needed legislation in the several states, the attention of leaders in the field has recently been centered more particularly upon obtaining federal legislation. For this purpose the National Committee on Federal Legislation for Birth Control was organized in 1929. Federal laws forbidding the distribution of contraceptive information affect the use of the mails and common carriers, and impose a penalty of $5,000, or imprisonment for five years or both, on anyone who is convicted of a violation. In many states a physician may give oral contraceptive information to his patients, but scientific literature on the subject, or medical supplies for the purpose, cannot be legally sent to him through the United States mails, nor can he knowingly receive them without violating the law. Amendments to remedy this situation are now pending in Congress.
At the present time not less than 100 so-called birth control clinics--though some of them, located in hospitals, are not generally known as such--are operating legally in the United States (covering 43 cities in 17 states). They are all places where contraceptive information may be obtained, but only under conditions within the limitation of the laws of each particular state. In New York State, for example, information can be given for the “cure or prevention of disease,” but not for economic reasons. In the Harlem section of New York City, through a grant from the Julius Rosenwald Fund, a branch clinic for colored women has been established as a part of the work of the Birth Control Clinical Research Bureau. A comprehensive study of the work and location of birth control clinics in different cities is contained in Seventy Birth Control Clinics (infra cit.), issued in 1930. The latest information as to the location of such clinics may be obtained from the National Committee on Maternal Health.
In recent years public opinion has been rapidly growing in favor of medically supervised instruction on birth control, as evidenced by the support and endorsements given by medical and other groups since 1930. Conspicuous among the former were the Public Health Relations Committee of the New York Academy of Medicine. Its recommendations, adopted in 1931, included the following statement: “A movement should be begun to include, in the curriculum of medical schools, instruction in modern contraceptive measures and in the indications therefor. The hospital clinics should likewise be asked to offer similar instruction to practicing physicians.” At the White House Conference on Child Health and Protection in 1930 a similar recommendation was made by the Sub-committee of the Section on Obstetric Teaching and Education of Physicians, Nurses, Midwives, Social Workers, and Laity.
Many religious groups have recently made public statement favorable to the birth control movement, at least to the extent of recognizing that existing laws should be modified which prevent physicians from imparting information concerning the use of contraceptives to those entitled to receive it. Among the groups which have issued such statements are the following: the Committee on Marriage and the Home of the Federal Council of the Churches of Christ in America; General Council of the Congregational and Christian Churches; New York East Conference, Methodist Episcopal Church; Universalist General Convention; and numerous political, lay, and social welfare organizations. In addition,the Central Conference of American Rabbis in 1929 urged "the recognition of the importance of the control of parenthood as one of the methods of coping with social problems"; and the American Unitarian Association in 1930 recommended that its constituents consider the subject “to the end that they may support all reasonable efforts in their communities for the promotion of the birth control movement.” For the text of the statements by the specified organizations see Information Service (infra cit.) and The Gospel and the Family and Youth (General Council of the Congregational and Christian Churches), 1931. In July, 1930, the English Ministry of Health issued a memorandum stating that in response to a widespread responsible demand, public health authorities would be authorized to give birth control information in the maternal and infant welfare centers of which there are several thousand throughout the British Isles. This announcement was preceded by a favorable, though guarded, pronouncement by the House of Lords, the Lambeth Conference of Bishops, and the British Medical Society.
The principal organized opposition to the movement comes from the Roman Catholic Church, and since the publication of the Encyclical Letter of Pope Pius XI, On Christian Marriage, 1931, many Catholic organizations--including the National Council of Catholic Men, the International Federation of Catholic Alumni, and the National Council of Catholic Women--have registered formal protests against the passage of birth control legislation. It is safe to say that all Catholic organizations are similarly opposed. The United Lutheran Church ofAmerica, Evangelical Lutheran Augusta Synod, Lord's Day Alliance, and a small numberof local religious denominations are also reported as opposed to the pending birth control legislation.
[Section entitled "Reference of Literature" omitted by MSPP editors]
In addressing this letter to the assembled delegates of the National Conference of Social Work, I do so with a feeling of kinship in a common purpose. Too often I find an Alice-in-Wonderland attitude prevailing–-with poverty, disease and kindred evils all seen as through a looking-glass, as spectres without substance. To the social worker, however, these are grim realities, calling on every ounce of courage, resourcefulness and common sense in their solution.
You who have dedicated yourselves to the welfare of others-–you who are working to build bridges for families to pass from dependency to self-support-–know full well that a knowledge of birth control must form the keystone of that bridge. You are already aware of the futility of pouring untold millions into palliative measures that disregard the obvious fact that without birth control, no permanent adjustment is possible between the size of a family and the family income.
A unique responsibility is today vested in the social workers of America, as a result of the gigantic increases that have taken place in the cost of public and private charities. For you are the intermediaries between the diseased, the defectives, the delinquent, and the dependent, and the vast agencies charged with the administrative responsibility of spending billions of dollars from public and private funds to help these groups. It is upon your recommendations that organization policies are established; and such policies must be reconciled with constructive race-building. Upon your vision, upon your intelligence, in this crisis, rests the welfare not only of countless troubled, worried parents, but also of the children born in the midst of the greatest depression in history, on whom we depend to carry on the torch of civilization.
I want to express my gratitude to the large and increasing number of individual socialworkers who are courageously bringing a knowledge of birth control to families crushed under the burden of feeding and clothing a constantly increasing family upon a stationary or diminishing wage. Through your efforts many mothers have been enabled to secure scientific information from dependable medical sources. Our common problem today is: How can we make it possible for every mother to obtain this help? How can we break the vicious circle of over large families, poverty, infant and maternal mortality, child labor, marital discord, prostitution, and other social cankers all linking up directlyto the difficulty of obtaining information so essential to the health of these mothers? How can we stop the senseless perpetuation of these evils?
Birth control clinics in every community are essential. These can be established under present State Laws, and can operate within certain limitations of the State Statutes. In 24 states no legal restrictions exist, and contraceptive advice can be given mothers for economic and social reasons as well as for health reasons. There are 133 birth control centers legally operating throughout this country. The present Federal Laws, however, Sections 211,245, 311, and 312 of the Criminal Code, class contraception with obscenity and abortion. They make it a criminal offense to send or receive from the U.S. mails or common carriers, information or supplies pertaining to contraception. They make no exceptions for physicians, hospitals or clinics, who are forced to violate the law in order to obtain necessary supplies from the manufacturers. Consequently, we have the spectacle of 133 legally operating birth control clinics that have become veritable “speak-easies” as far as the general public is concerned. It is difficult for the mothers in the communities where these clinics are operating almost surreptitiously, to know of their existence, and the consequence is that although a mother may live within a few hundred feet of a center, she is usually unaware of its existence. On leaving the maternity wards, or applying to maternity centers, or lying-in hospitals for such advice it is refused her. Only if she can pay the fee of a private physician can she obtain scientific individual instruction. For obviously, the physician who takes the personal responsibility of giving contraceptive advice in his private office, cannot involve the medical institutions with which he is connected in a subject classed by our Federal Statutes as illegal. He is compelled to protect himself and his institution in his public practice. It is here that the Federal Laws take their greatest toll in keeping in ignorance the most needy mothers who are dependent on hospitals, public dispensaries and clinics for their medical aid. It is class legislation, a sanction of knowledge for those who can afford to pay for it,and ignorance and misery for those who cannot.
The National Committee on Federal Legislation for Birth Control has sponsored legislation in Congress that would exempt physicians, medical colleges, hospitals and clinics from the provisions of the above Statutes, in order to enable every hospital to legally provide birth control information as part of its routine preventative health service. The amendment of the Federal Laws represents a “short cut” to bringing this needed relief to the greatest number in the shortest possible time. Hearings on our legislation have been held before Senate and House Committees. Medical, social and religious organizations with memberships approximating many millions of individuals, have endorsed these efforts to bring our Federal laws in line with decency and common sense.
Much remains to be done. You who are in touch with actual conditions are cognizant of the need. I am grateful to those among you who have had the courage to take an unqualified stand on this question, and who have thrown the weight of your influence into persuading the welfare agencies with which you are affiliated to openly endorse the work of our Committee. Your leadership is inspiring those who are more timid to do likewise. Each individual and group endorsement helps, and is urgently needed for our work during the next session of Congress.
Children's Bureau -1932.jpgI am also looking to the social workers with their vast experience to help broaden the horizon on this important subject. Unfortunately, there are still many who, while reluctantly recognizing the need for contraceptive advice in cases of heart disease, cancer, tuberculosis, hereditary and transmissible diseases, and other health conditions where pregnancy is known to aggravate the disease, sometimes resulting in death, nevertheless do not always see the deeper social and ethical principles involved. There can be no justification for violating the right of every married woman to decide when and how often she shall undertake the physical and far-reaching responsibilities of motherhood. It is mediaeval and barbarous to treat parenthood as a punishment for shiftlessness or recklessness. On the contrary, the woman sufficiently socially-conscious to desire to take parenthood out of the sphere of accident, should be aided in obtaining scientific information that will enable her to space the births of children in consideration of her health, her husband’s earning capacity, and the future health, environmental and educational opportunities for her children. Unless there is intelligent direction of the movement, however, we will have continued attempts to legislate contraceptive advice into the same category as abortions. Only last week, an incredible bill was introduced, making it necessary for a woman to secure the consent of two physicians, one of them recommended by the State Board of Health and residing in an adjacent town, before contraceptive advice could be prescribed. This is an instance of the type of shortsighted legislation passed by lawmakers and paid for by the people.
In closing, may I again point out that yours is the responsibility and privilege of rendering an unequalled patriotic service to your country by taking a stand that will help to forward this constructive work. Birth control is here, it is being practiced, ithas already done great good. It can relieve the economic distress of countless families. Like all great forces, however, it must be directed, it must be accessible to all classes, so that it may truly become a constructive force for the regeneration of the race.
New York, May 5, 1933
Letter to the Editor of the New York Times:
I wish to correct several statements made byHenry L. Caravati, executive secretary of the National Council of Catholic Men, in his letter to The Times.
Mr. Caravati states that at Congressional hearings twenty-one responsible and outstanding national organizations made known their disapproval of any attempt to amend the present Federal laws. He failed to state that practically all these organizations were Catholic.
Mr. Caravati refers to the American Gynecological Society, but fails to statethat in 1925 this outstanding group went on record in favor of amending the present Federal laws. It is significant to note that the medical organizations most directly concerned with the health of American mothers have also gone on record in favor of amending these laws.
Mr. Caravati states that it is a matter of record that not more than a few hundred thousand individuals are represented by the religious groups thathave publicly expressed their approval of removing the present restrictions. It would be interesting to know where Mr. Caravati obtains his figures, and I am sure that the religious groups endorsing our work would also resent this absurd claim.
I agree with Mr. Caravati that it is important that the people of this country be informed of the facts, but these must be presented without religious bias.
This letter to the editor of the Jefferson County Union of Fort Atkinson, WI is preceded by an editorial indicating that Sanger is an important "scout in looking out forthe rights of the ppor, abused women." It suggests that Sanger's letter should be read by every legislator.
Washington, DCMar. 27, 1933
To Chief Editorial Writer, Jefferson Co. Union, Ft. Atkinson, WI
Dear Sir:--You have been kind enough in the past to express an interest on thw work of this committee.
I therefore bring to your attention a copy of the Anti-Birth Control Bill introduced in the Wisconsin Assembly by Mr. O'Malley, onMarch 16, 1933.
At the present time, there is no mention of prevention of conception in the statutes of Wisconsin. The bill introduced by Mr. O'Malley classes abortion with contraception, indicating complete ignorance of the subject on the part of its author. It is highly prohibitive, and provides exemption only for physicians and surgeons in prescribing "a remedy to prevent communication of disease."
Passage of this bill would mean:
1. Physicians would be unable to give contraceptive advice to those suffering from tuberculosis, heart disease or any ailments which are not communicable.
2. The establishment of clinics for the care of underprivileged mothers, either independently or in connection with hospitals, would be greatly impeded.
Moreover it would mean that Wisconsin would be the first state in the Union to specically limit doctors in giving contraceptive advice.
The passage of such a reactionary bill would mean untold suffering and misery for countless women, and it would take years to undo the harm caused by permitting such a bill to quietly become enacted into the law in defiance of public opinion. It would be too great an injustice to tolerate. I hope you will find it possible to bring this matters to your readers.
Sincerely yours,
Margaret Sanger gave an address as part of a Wesleyan University undergraduate conference on marriage. No final version of this speech has been found; for notes on a similar speech, see Wesleyan University Speech Notes and Excerpts, Dec. 9,1932.
Birth control for human babies is at least as important as pig control for farmers, said Mrs. Margaret Sanger, birth control'spioneer advocate, last night.
Mrs. Sanger enumerated the various codes developed under the recovery act in an address before the convention of the world fellowship of faiths at the Morrison hotel. She proposed "a code for babies," contending that each child brough into the world should be assured the certainty of a happy home, a sound body and mind, and proper care. Until this code is written, Mrs. Sanger warded, "real national recovery can never be realized."
"Futile extravagance," Mrs. Sanger exclaimed as she referred to charity doles of various sorts. She argued that "this effort to keep alive the delinquent, the defective, the dangerous classes," is not good sense. They should not have been brought into the world at all, Mrs.Sanger declared.
"Christianity was founded on the suppression of the sex instinct," Mrs. Sanger continued. "Previous forms of religious worship, fromprehistoric times, were founded upon the unfathomable, inevitable mystery of sex. People were and still are as ignorant and confused about sex as they are about God. As long as religious teaching confuses sex with shame and sin, mankindcannot rise to its highest possibilities."
"Our ecclesiastical fathewrs decreed that there were only two states of respectable womanhood open to women--virginity or motherhood. Sex in any of its manifestations was akin ti sin, and for the women only the bearing of a child sanctioned its expression."
Mrs. Sanger flung the challenge of cowardice before the leadersip of the various women's organizations of the country for notjoining the movement looking toward sex hygiene and sex reform.
New York, Feb. 16.
Editor Brooklyn Daily Eagle:
In your issue of Feb. 13 a letter from Mr. William A. Blehl needs correction.
The birth control bill S.4436 aims to allow physicians, hospitals and clinics only to use the U.S. mails and common carriers to send and receive such contraceptive articles, books and supplies as are needed.
It is an error to say the bill aims to reduce the population to overcome the present economic condition. The fact of the matter is that the passage of this bill would decrease tremendous misery, worry and anxiety in the lives of the poor mothers who go to hospitals and clinics for their medical advice, because they can seldom afford to consult a private doctor.
Mr. Blehls's childish announcement, "there is an overabundance of food supplies and a further depletion in population would only result in a still more overabundance" does not ring true. If there is an overabundance of food what good does it do the millions of hungry men and women walking the streets looking for jobs to buy it?
Large populations have not thus far in the history of mankind done more for civilization then plunge humanity into wars, hunger, disease, plunder, and crime. To talk nonsense at this time, with the economic facts of history before us is not only an expression of ignorance--it is malicious! Let those who want a big population make it possible for every child born and alive today to have a chance to live before they pratter about "overabundance" and "increase."
MARGARET SANGER Nat. Chairman, N.C.F.L.B.C.New York,Feb. 16