Brownsville Labor Lyceum Questions and Answers

Mrs. Sanger Evades Lyceum Hecklers

Where will the new birth control clinic be located? was a question put to Mrs. Margaret Sanger last night at the Brownsville Labor Lyceum, following her lecture in which she had said it was hoped to open a clinic soon, "law or no law."

"That's an up-to-date question," she said. "I don't think it will be in Brownsville. I don't like your police here." She announced that she would take the risk of giving information in urgent cases, if those desiring it would call upon her at home in Manhattan.

There were several hecklers in the audience. To these Mrs. Sanger gave but scant attention. One questioner asked her if there were not an element of perniciousness in placing birth control above all other social issues. "Men cannot work for the goal of their ideals, the emancipation of the human race, alone. No free man was ever born of a slave mother. There is no greater slavery than maternal slavery," she replied.

"The Church is as great a menace as legal barriers to birth control," continued the speaker. "Countries where birth control is legal still have the Church to contend with. The Church's main job is saving souls, and it wants plenty of souls to save. It is said by the Church that birth control is unnatural. Isn't celibacy more unnatural? We have persons who talk in glowing terms of large families as honor guests at our functions. Jails, the courts, and penitentiaries await those who wish to perform a real service and who try to limit children."

"The upper and middle classes have done pretty well with birth control for 30 or 40 years. If we can't do better we might use their methods. Those who say the subject of birth control is sordid are lacking in common sense."