AMERICAN CABLE NEWS

Hokitika Guardian, 4 May 1927, Page 2

AMERICAN CABLE NEWS

(Australian & N.Z. Cablo Association.] STERILIZED BY LAW. VIRGINIA LAW UPHELD WASHINGTON May 3.

One of the most important legal decisions affix-ting the practice of Social Eugenics was rendered by the Supreme Court of the United States to-day. The decision upholds a Virginia State law, providing for the sterilization of feebleminded people. The case was one dealt with by the order of the Superintendent of the Virginia State Colony of Epileptics and Feeble-Minded Persons. The order was for the operation of salpingotomy, which was performed oil a feeble-mind-ed child, and whose own mother was also feeble-minded.

The guardian of the woman operated on brought an action before the Court on the ground that the Virginia law was void as it conflicted with the Fourteenth Amendment to the American Constitution, because it denied the plaintiff her due process of law and equal protection under the laws Mr Justice Holmes, in giving the decision said:—“lt would ho better for all the world, if, instead of waiting to execute degenerate offspring for crime, or let them starve because of their imbecility, society prevented those who are manifestly unfit from continuing their kind. The principle sustaining compulsory vaccination is one broad enough to cover this proposition. of sterilization.”

U.S.A. TNCOAIE. NEW YORK, Afay 3

Mr Thomas Lament, of the Morgan Company, addressing the American Section of the International Chamber of Commerce said that from the point of view of the American investor, it obviously was necessary to scan tbe situation with increasing circumspection, and to avoid rash or excessive lending. “I have in mind,” he said, “reports which I have recently heard of American bankers competing on an almost violent scale for the purpose of obtaining loans in various foreign markets overseas. That sort of competition tends to insecurity and to unsound practice.” He indicated that the gross annual interest and sinking funds payable in America on foreign loans issued here made a total of about one billion dollars yearlv, and with such a vast sum due to America, how much further, he asked, would foreign countries he able to stand this annual burden? Would their exports so far exceed their imports that they could continue to accept,, by fresh borrowings, tbe fresh t ransfers of tbe sums necessary for tbe interest and sinking funds. “The American investor.' lie said, “is an intelligent individual, ami can be relied upon to discriminate. Act. in the first- instance, such discrimination is purely the province of the banker, who buys goods, rather than that of tbe investor, to whom lie sells them. A warning needs to be given against indiscriminate lending,"'

GOOD SECURITY SOUGHT MAY YORK. May 2. Hon. Air Hoover, addressing the third Pan-Aiueriesn Conference. said that no money should be lent to the Lalin-Ainerican countries unless it was for productive purjtoscs. The State Department was questioned relative to this statement. The Department said that it still supervised all tbe foreign loans by American bankers, but it took no action such as that suggested by ATr Hoover. DE PINEDO’S PLANE. (Received this dav at 9..'56 a.m.) NEAY YORK, May :5. The assembling of De Pinedo’s new plane lias been completed, and it will be tested later in the week. Tbe flight will be resumed on 9tli May. according to present plans. De Pinedo’s machine is being kept under strict guard dny and night, strangers being held at a distance of seventy-five feet.