BIRTH CONTROL

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 15, 11 October 1937, Page 6

BIRTH CONTROL

Grand March fo Oblivion DEGENERATION OF, RACE "We are a degenerating people, and we have got into this condition because of moral decllne," said Dr. A. B. O'Brien, in addressing a meeting of 400 women, held uxxder the auspices of the National . Council of Women at Christchurch. "Although I think artiflcial birth control is fast leading ua' down the 4 slippery path to destruction, still . I look upon it not so much as the cause of our decay, as that it is one - of the symptoms in the grand march to oblivion," said Dr. O'Brien. "That * is, slackening of moral outlook, im- ' morality, birth control, abortion, sterillsation, euthanjasia, and— finish. The subject of the meeting mas "The national dr.nger of abortion and the recommendations of the Commission of Inauiry." . Resolutions were passed by the meeting supporting the recommendation in the report of the Abortion Committee advocating restriction of the promiscuous advertising and the sale of contraceptives, particularly to the young, and the appeal to the womanhood of New Zealand to consider the grave pyhsical and moral dangers involved in the practiee of abortion. A further resolution was passed calling upon both men and women to hphold and preserve the sancity of the home and family life. "MORAL DE'CLiNB." "The alarming state -of affairs roeently bropght to public notlco W the Government report on abortion has shown," said Dr. O'Brien, "that , not onlv has this beautif V young country one of the highest abortion rates in the world, but also that in this country. which is cryinr out for population, especially for healthr British stock, we have become so far degenerated that we can find young men and wourn willing and anxious . to kilb their own unborn children. Then we can find men so callous that, for the sake of a little better ecpnomic posFion, or for adiied luxury and ease, they are willing , to compel their wives to risk' their own lives and subsequent health in the process of des'roying their I own ' children. "That this is no idle statement is revealed by the fact that, betweon 1931 and 1935, 109 married Women died of septic abortion, leaving 338 motherless children. These women were murdered by the. abortionist, with the consent of their own husbands, and sometimes without their consent. Further, this moral decline has brought us to such a low state of civic morality that we are unable to get a jury to convict suspected abortionists." • 120,000 BABIES SHORT. Dr. O'Brien spoke of the "dreadful trend of affairs" indicated by the Dominion's rapidly declining birth-rate, and made the point that, although in 1935 there were a quarter of a million more people in New ' Zealand than in 1922, there were 5000 fewer babies. He quoted figures to show that the Dominion was 120,000 babies short in the last 12 yfears. Two things were desirable and almost necessary to encourage the women «f New Zealand to produce more babies: (1) More adequate provision for L-kildren when they did come; and (2) More help for mothers. "These doubtful remedies, birth control and sterilisation, which are mentioned but not adrocated by the^ committee on abortion, are being put forward not, as you might think, to cure disease or to reduce mental defects, but chiefly for social and economic reasons, and as a way out to save women from having criminal abortions performed on them, with possible death, or, very frequently, serious illness as a result," said Dr. ? O'Brien, in dealing with another phase of th'i situation. CHANGE OF HEART URGED. "So that, on our march through degeneracy to national destruction, things have arrived at such a pass that an enormous number of our girls and women say, in effect, that self- control is impossible; that they must give way to the desire, for sex indulgence, and that some way must be found, either by the doctrrs or by, i the Government, to enable them to indulge their passions without bocoming pregnant. And further, that if their precautions fail, then they ask that the Government should allow them to kilJ +lieir innocent baby in order to save their figures, or their purses, or to allow them to fulfil social engagements. And they ask that, if the Gbvernment will not allow them to murder their own unborn children, at least the Government should set up birth control clinics, so as to prevent too many New Zealand children being born." Dr. O'Brien added that the only remedy worth considering for the 'present deplorable state of affairs was the moral remedy. The medical remedy was poor and unsatisfactory, for what was a moral evil. Nothing could curo the trouble, and nothing could save tho nation from present evils and ultimate destruction, except a change of heart.