ABORTION
[To the Editor of THE SPECTATOR.] SIR,—As " Modernist " says, " Abortion exists wholesale today." He advocates its legalization on the grounds that then women would resort to respectable doctors who might dissuade them.
That it should be permitted in certain cases I think few but fanatics would deny. But surely Prevention is better than Cure. A large proportion of abortions are the result of the inability of the women of the poorer classes to obtain proper advice and means for contraception.
Both the women who spoke on the wireless recently about their sufferings as " Unemployed," emphasized their dread of bringing more helpless beings into the world. One explicitly stated that she was unable to afford the price of contraceptives.
Only those who have been in close touch with poor women can realize the terror with which they look forward to yet another mouth to feed, another body to clothe, another child to be toiled for. A grim conversation I overhead at a Mother's Welfare " tells the tale : Said Number 1 Mother : " Let's see: Mrs. Jones has got four children, hasn't she ? " Said Number 2 : dh, no. Didn't you know the twins was dead ? "
Number 1 : No ! Are they ? Lor', some. people do hare luck."
To the same place came another woman. Her husband was returning home after a long absence. She wanted to see him. She was fond of him. But she was terrified as to what the result of his return would be. She asked for advice and was told severely that no advice as to precautions could be given. As she came out she said bitterly, " Mother's welfare ! Fat lot they care about mothers. All they want is boys for their bloody army." In despair they resorted, I found, to " A kind gentlemen in X Street who told you what to do ever so ni2ely." What else could they do ? Now that most' lands manufacture goods of their own, now that coal is no longer needed to drive the machines, there is no likelihood that England will ever again be able to employ and feed an unlimited increase of population as in the days when England had the monopoly. Hundreds of children are daily born " on the dole." Burdens on their parents. Burdens on the State. Surely all possible means should be taken to spread the knowledge and use of
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