Opening Remarks

It is my pleasure to express a cordial welcome on behalf of the American Birth Control League to the delegates, visitors and others who have come from other states to attend this Conference and to assist us by their counsel, experience and advice.

Great and significant events have taken place in the world since the formation of the first American Birth Control League less than ten years ago.

Up to that time, while the practice of family limitation had been already established among the well to do and more educated classes in this country, there had been no attempt on the part of any group or individuals to crystallize the idea into a movement or to encourage the practice among the poor, diseased or unfit.

The population among the well to do was stationary not a problem. I found them healthy, happy, clean, contented comfortable with their children well cared for tho there were but few in each family. It is from this class that the colleges are filled & that the best positions of State & Society are filled. While the population of the latter poor was increasing. Here I found miseries unequaled, poverty, slums, overcrowding, were perpetuated, while society shook its head and blamed the causes on to various agents,–nature, God’s will, etc.

All about me I saw mothers die, children born doomed to death, or born dead, wasted energy and precious lives snuffed out.