London, England
On the night of June 29, I finished my London lectures for the time being. That meeting, the second under the auspices of the Emily Davidson Club, was perhaps the most thrilling and unusual of all because it was the first time practical preventive methods were explained and discussed publicly before an audience of both sexes. There were about sixty men and as many women present, the lecture having been advertised in a very small way and being given to compensate the men for having been turned away from a previous lecture given for women only.
After I had discussed the theoretical and economic side of Birth Control a man of about thirty-five years, arose.
"It's all very interesting and enlightening, what the lady speaker has told us" he said, "but really I and others have come here on purpose to have her tell us what methods she advises us to use. Won't she tell us while we are here for that purpose?"
"Hear. Hear!" cried part of the audience. "No! No!" came from others.
"Let the men go out--let her talk to the women!"
"No, No!" cried a man, "we have just as much right to know these things as the women!"
The men insistently demanded a vote upon the question. The chairman inquired if I were willing to address a mixed audience and I agreed, suggesting that those who did not wish to remain to hear the practical methods should depart while I continued the theoretical discussion. Only one couple left the room.
The attitude of both men and women during the explanation of methods was one of ease, confidence and reverence for the subject which means so much in their everyday lives. Afterwards, six men came seeking advice on other problems, saying that if they had known Birth Control methods a few years earlier they would have been spared great unhappiness and would not now be carrying backbreaking burdens without the help of understanding spiritual advisers.
Within less than six weeks I have given about twenty-two private lectures, reaching some twenty-five hundred women. All were working women, and all demanded and received information concerning the practical methods, which were discussed fully at each meeting.
The subject is being discussed everywhere and information concerning contraceptives is spreading like wildfire among the workers. One can feel the increased and increasing interest. One indication is the requests that are pouring in for lectures before labor organizations and other bodies. If I accepted all these invitations, I should have to remain here at least a year, working constantly.
The attitude toward Birth Control exhibited by various groups of people show some decidedly interesting contrasts. That of the working women may be described as "natural." They are vitally interested and they demand the knowledge of Birth Control, receiving it eagerly. The professional social worker is more likely to suspend his or her common sense and exhibit a good deal of hypocrisy. This is especially true of the official Labor leaders and officials are prone to deny entirely the call to plain economic necessity of Birth Control. Many radicals, too, ignore this phase of the matter, especially the older ones, who are wedded to oft-repeated phrases. The younger people, however, are almost entirely convinced that there is much in the Birth Control movement and at least have their minds open to it.
The fact that officialdom in labor circles and "social work" is strongly against the diminution of labor's misery is constantly shown by the arguments used in such groups against Birth Control.
"Let 'em have all the children they can. It will bring on the revolution all the quicker," said one spokesman of labor to me some weeks ago.
"Why do you fight for higher wages then?" I asked, "
Why ask higher wages if you really want poverty and misery?"
He was silent at that, but he was forced to do some thinking just the same. On the other hand, the practical working man and the practical social worker are entirely in agreement with the practice of Birth Control and say so. But the official, the leader, turns a deaf ear to it.
One of the groups that is on the road to practical work on a very large scale is that under the direction of Mrs. Anna Martin at Rotherhithe. This is one of the most dilapidated and poverty-stricken districts of London. When, on June 22, I gave an informal address to Miss Martin's group there were present something over one hundred women from the neighborhood. I was surprised to learn that these women had small families--one or two, not more than three children. The explanation was that Dr. Alice Vickery had visited the neighborhood some ten years previously and had instructed some of the intelligent women of the neighborhood in Birth Control methods. Some of the more prosperous of these women purchased the necessary contraceptives and furnished them to their poorer neighbors, who reimbursed them upon the installment plan. The result was smaller families and children growing up with more advantages, including better health.
The benefits to the mothers were marked. These women were farther advanced than others who had been denied Birth Control information. They enjoyed a greater companionship with their husbands. They go to lectures; they have something of an intellectual life.
Miss Martin is a magnificent example of courage and understanding. Her work reflects both in a tremendous degree.
"I must get the mothers early," she said, in talking of the women of her neighborhood, "If I do not get them soon after the birth of the first or second child, it is almost certain that I never will. When other babies come close together, they bring with them discouragement and lower standards of life, for both parents."
These women are well aware that family limitations enabled them to give their children a chance in life and to protect their own well being. There was in this group a frankness, during discussion of Birth Control methods, markedly absent from ll other groups that I have addressed in England. These women were self-reliant, self-respecting, and independent. They might have been spiritless drudges, mothers of huge, hopeless families, if it had not been for the work of Miss Martin and Dr. Vickery.
One of the exceedingly interesting meetings was an "invitation" affair arranged by Mrs. Edith How Martin, a widely known County Council woman of Middlesex and Miss L. Thompson. To this meeting came social workers, women physicians and the like. Many of the Labor women were unable to come because of the Labor Conference at Scarborough, which demanded their presence. The audience, as has often happened, was divided upon the question of contraceptives versus continence, except when procreation is desired and the chief advocate of the latter view was a woman physician, who in a strong speech declared that to be her method of Birth Control and who took exceptions to my address on the ground that I represented the "American view point," which she declared was that there is a high spiritual element in the sex relationship. "That idea will not go down in England" she declared. Adjournment, taken when the meeting had run long past its time cut short a storm of protest against this view. It was not until later that I go the full significance of the meeting. Ten women wrote me saying that they can now see the futility of alleviative measures and asking if there is a place for them in the Birth Control movement. Others write saying that economic necessity keeps them in their present positions but that if they had means on which to live they would throw all of their strength into this cause!
I am quite convinced that if there were sufficient money here to carry on a Birth Control campaign of wide proportions the women would rally to this cause until the suffrage fight would be far surpassed in intensity and enthusiasm and the results would be immensely more constructive and far reaching.
On July 2, I was invited to speak before the Conference on Maternity and Child welfare at Brighton, the invitation coming through Miss Nora March, editor of Racial Health, by the good offices of Dr. Ira Prichard. Although Birth Control was not being discussed when I arrived, a place was made for me under the head of Child Welfare to talk five minutes which the chairman afterward extended to ten.
I had time to point out that there are three definite factors to be considered in a constructive campaign to aid the children of the nation and that these three factors had their roots deeply inbeded in other prevalent evils. First, the fear of pregnancy in the motherhood of the nation creates a condition of mind that must inevitably mean a child predisposed to a lack of health and courage. Second, this same fear in the mother leads to the use of drugs which poison the embryo at the beginning of life and induce in it a condition of ill health never entirely obliterated. Thirdly, frequent pregnancies cause the mother to bring forth weaklings, and that all these factors conspire to handicap the child from the very beginning of its existence. I emphasized the fact that unless the child welfare workers began to be thoroughly constructive and include Birth Control in their program, they were in a great degree wasting their efforts. They were beginning too late.
The time was far too short, but so great was the interest in the subject of Birth Control that dozens crowded around me to ask questions and request literature.
I go now to Glasgow, Scotland to spend two weeks. A meeting is planned for the Green on July 4, another the evening of the same day in a hall. A short hour of a lecturer's time is not much in which to break down the prejudices of ages and communicate a new message. But the time is ripe and both men and women are eager. The interest quickens constantly. The Cause moves on.
--London, July 2nd
August 1920 London
In order to convey the message of Birth Control to working women, the cordon of social workers must first be broken through. "Social science" as applied by that specialized class of persons known as "social workers" has erected a barricade against all progressive ideas. Endowed with the funds of "charity," which, as we know, come largely from ultra-conservative sources, these "workers" have established a self-assumed guardianship of the poor. Whatever individuals of this class may do, as a whole it maintains entanglements of moral and ethical barbed wire against anything which, in the opinion of themselves and those who furnish the funds to support them, is not "good" for the women workers and their children. This situation prevails as strongly in England as elsewhere, and it is one of the conditions which must be reckoned with by the Birth Control movement.
The reactionary moral guardianship exercised by "social workers" is responsible for the ignorance in which some of the most progressive of the working women of England are kept regarding matters of the utmost importance to them and their families. Take, for instance, the Women's Co-operative Guild. It consists of 3500 of the most advanced and intelligent working women here. They are married women whose husbands belong to trade organizations. They had never heard of Birth Control as a movement. Most of them have never heard of it as a scientific fact, until they attended lectures delivered by one outside of the circle of their "social guardians."
One woman, the mother of twenty children, nine of whom reached maturity and seven of whom are still living, came after the lecture and whispered: " It's a fine work you are doing, Missus. It's making 'istory you are, and good 'istory too. I wish I had known what you've told us here tonight when I was young. There wouldn't have been so many of mine in the grave." Her attitude was typical of that of the older women—women who should have known about Birth Control methods many years ago. All the older women–-those who have passed the age when knowledge of Birth Control methods is of use to themselves-–are anxious to help their daughters and their daughters-in-law. It is beautiful and inspiring to hear them carry the message to each other and direct their friends to still other women who are in need of the information-–to Mrs. So-and-So, mother of seven, with four dead: to Mrs. So-and-So, mother of ten and still young enough to bear many more.
These women, advanced as they are in many ways, know simply nothing of their own bodies. Even the names of the reproductive organs are a mystery to them and must be imparted. The location, the functions, the use and care of these organs must be explained to them, for, hard as it is to believe, they are ignorant of all these things.
Once the barricades are broken, these women are touchingly, splendidly, eager for this knowledge and for instruction in family limitation. It is inspiring to watch their faces. They are conscious of the fact that this subject has never before been talked of out loud. As they receive the knowledge, there is but a hair's breadth between hysteria and holiness in the atmosphere. They are ready for either, according to the words used. One can feel the falling away of ages of erroneous teaching and false shame, and as the light comes into their eyes, they seem younger and happier. Their womanhood begins to break the silence of the centuries.
They always ask for the practical methods of Birth Control. It is the first time these methods have been discussed or imparted in public meetings. " Here we are all women" they say, " we want to know what we can do to limit our families, what we can use, the cost of the necessary things and where they can be had." They contribute their own share toward breaking down the walls and letting in the light, for they quickly learn to give their own experiences in order to get more particularized advice and to help their sisters. They are eager to do anything which will help to bring the illumination of truth to a subject that for nearly two thousand years has been relegated to darkness and the gutter.
Among working women who are free from the influence of the accepted "social science" and who are, therefore, free to choose their own reading matter, there are many who have heard of Marie Stopes' books. Most of them, however, have heard very little about books, even the book "Maternity" published by the Guild, which includes many letters from mothers who know nothing of Birth Control and who suffer from the lack of that knowledge. Their time is taken with care of their children, getting meals, washing and making the husband's pay last until the end of the week. They have no time to think of books.
Light was shed upon the relation between large families and drunkenness among women by the replies made to questions at one of the Birth Control meetings at a branch of the Guild. I inquired if drunkenness had increased or decreased among women with the high wages and independent earnings which had come in since the outbreak of the war. The answer was that a woman takes to drink when children begin to come along so fast that she gets discouraged with constant working and trying to feed many mouths on the same amount of money that she got from her "chap" when there were but two or three to feed. Until this situation comes, the woman may " take a drink now and then with 'er ol' man," but does not get drunk. "It's 'er that's got to go without," they told me.
Even the children in large families know that the mother does not get the same kind of food that the father does, even though another baby is coming. Where there is not enough to go around, the father and the children are supplied and the mother goes without. The fact that women are talking about these wrongs and resent them means that they must go on. And they will go through Birth Control.
Nearly all my time in England thus far has been devoted to various branches of the Women's Co-operative Guild in London. This has been most satisfying to me because in these meetings for women only, one can have plain heart-to-heart talks in which one may tell plainly how to apply Birth Control methods.
Another fine thing about the work here is that one's energy is not taken for negative work. There is no necessity of fighting fossilized laws, of trying to do away with them. Information concerning contraceptives can be given openly and I am giving all that has come my way. Clinics would be better, because the instruction could then be adapted to the individual cases, but until the clinics arrive, the present means of imparting information serves as a step towards that goal.
Aside from the work with the women of the Guild, one of the most interesting meetings thus far was that held at the International Socialist Club. The hall was packed to the doors and this Birth Control meeting was by far the largest the club had held since the outbreak of the war. All kinds of questions were asked and many objections were raised by men–-old Marxians, all, with the arguments antagonistic to Malthus deeply rooted in their minds. What they wished most to know was whether Birth Control would help Labor. If a man had six children, was it not necessary that he should have higher wages than the man who has two? The gist of the argument was that the working class could increase their wages by increasing their needs.
How astoundingly futile and false is that argument in the face of the living facts. It was answered, apparently to the satisfaction of all those present, when it proceeded to bob up again and again in various guises. Finally several of the women jumped to their feet crying that the men did not want Birth Control because they wanted " to keep the women down." A chorus of "Hear! Hear!" came from the rest of the women in the audience, who called to me to agree with the charge. I was delighted at the spirit of the women but could not agree as to the motives of the men in opposing Birth Control.
I explained that I felt that the antagonism upon the part of the men was due to the impression that the only methods of preventing conception were one or two old ones which men generally dislike. When it was learned that methods are now known to be safe in which the man needs have neither concern nor part, all opposition fell away. This suggestion struck like lightning. Even the men agreed and gave a hearty round of applause. One wonders just how much of the "Marxian" opposition to Birth Control has its roots, not in logic, but in personal dislike for certain antiquated methods of preventing conception.
The spirit of this meeting was inspiring and out of it may come a widespread interest among the radical men and women. Rose Witcop was in the chair and managed the meeting magnificently. Guy Aldred spoke briefly on the need of education among the workers.
Last night, June 15th, there was a Birth Control meeting at the Emily Davidson club, which is named for the suffragist who was killed. This was for women only and the hall again was packed to the doors and out into the hall-ways. Many men came but were turned away. This meeting, too, brought out an interesting side-light. A third of the audience approved continence as a means of family limitation. One little elderly woman in a spirited voice insisted that men should be taught that sexual contact was solely for procreation and insisted that three or four contacts in the course of a lifetime were quite sufficient. It developed that nearly half of the audience were elderly, unmarried women. This explained the insistence with which they favored continence.
At this meeting I was showered with questions about our co-worker, Kitty Marion, who so bravely faces the Broadway crowds to sell THE BIRTH CONTROL REVIEW. Her old friends congratulated us upon having so courageous a woman in the movement, and blamed themselves roundly for allowing her to leave England. Emily Davidson and Kitty Marion were fast friends. Another meeting, to which men will be admitted, will be held at the Emily Davidson club on June 29th.
I am off now to lecture at Edmonton to the Women's Co-Operative Guild branch there. Tonight I deliver a lecture at eight on "The Psychology of the Birth Control Movement" at the Workers' Educational Association, under the auspices of the Society for the Study of Sex Psychology of which Edward Carpenter is president.
There is a splendid growing interest in Birth Control everywhere. I am most encouraged because the working women are spreading the message and calling for clinics where they can obtain the necessary materials. It is all going on quietly and gathering momentum as it goes. If the saying " What goes in England, goes over the world" is true, it is most encouraging to look into the future.