THE STATE, CHILD, AND PARENT.
[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.]
SIR,—In a cogent passage in your article on " State, Child and Parent" in the Spectator of April 7th, you assert that the indi- vidual is responsible for the State, not the State for the individual. A more general realization of the truth of this dictum would do much to save us from the stress and difficulty which vex our social life to-day, yet the tendency of much of our legislation and most, perhaps, of our philanthropy, is to weaken the sense of individual responsibility—a tendency which has probably reached its nadir in the Communist over- lordship of Russia. In our own country an encouraging corrective may be observed in the growing movement, to which you direct attention, in favour of the practice of birth control, whereby parents and potential parents may limit the size of their families to their means, giving the children a better chance in life and rendering true service to the com- munity by raising the standard and enlarging the opportunity of future citizens.
Attention may, perhaps, be drawn to a concrete effort to bring this saving knowledge of birth control to the denizens of one of the most congested areas of London. I refer to the East Street Welfare Centre at Walworth—the only welfare centre in the whole of the Empire at which birth-control instruction is given—a voluntary charity under the personal direction of a Harley Street gynaecologist of international reputation. During the past few months the number of patients has risen to an average of twenty-five (excluding mothers and children who attend for infant welfare consulta- tions) on each of the three afternoons a week when the Centre is open for birth-control instruction. Every woman receives skilled gynaecological examination (from which poverty would debar her, save for the existence of this Centre) and individual advice as to the most appropriate method of con- traception to be employed. There is every indication that the work—which has been in progress for nearly a year and a-half —will go on increasing in volume, and at the present time the resources of the Centre are taxed to the utmost.
These women are taking an important step towards realizing their responsibility to the State by refraining from bearing more children than they can hope to bring up decently. The State, however, does not feel able to reciprocate by recognizing the East Street Welfare Centre as eligible for the Government grant which is available for other Welfare Centres at which birth-control instruction is not given. The attitude of the Ministry of Health, the competent authority, is, of course, justifiable, for it is repugnant to the national temper that public money should be spent on subsidizing work—however valuable—which cannot claim to have the approval of the balance of public opinion. But even that " high and mighty Dame which rules the world " is beginning to look with favour on this work of humanity and good sense, and such powerful influence as yours, Sir, is of immense value in bringing about this much-to-be-desired end.—I am, Sir, &c.,
Previous page
