62 Mental Welfare
On May 23rd last Sir Hilton Young, then Minister of Health, received a deputation from the County Councils Association, the Association of Munic- ipal Corporations, the Mental Hospitals Association and the Joint Committee on Voluntary Sterilisation. The official press notice of the event ran as follows: ?
” Mr. E. W. Cemlyn-Jones, in introducing the deputation, said that it was almost two years since the report of the Brock Committee was pub- lished. Since then views on voluntary sterilisation had crystallised. He emphasised the unanimity with which the bodies whom the deputation repre- sented had accepted the report, and on behalf of the deputation he desired to ask the Government to introduce legislation to implement the recommenda- tions of the Committee.
” Mr. Martin, speaking on behalf of the Association of Municipal Cor- porations, did not think that objections to legislation would be met by delay. Alderman Locke, speaking on behalf of the Mental Hospitals Association, said the proposed legislation would be of great value to the social life of a limited but important class. Lord Horder, Chairman of the Joint Committee on Voluntary Sterilisation, referred to the anomalous position of doctors under the present law.
” The Minister of Health thanked the deputation for so clearly expressing the case of voluntary sterilisation and said he was bound to attach great weight to the unanimity of view expressed on behalf of the bodies represented. The presence of the deputation itself indicated a substantial advance in public opinion, and further progress would depend on the public being assured that the conscience of any substantial section of the nation would not be offended. The deputation would realise, however, that in the present congestion of par- liamentary business the introduction of legislation would not in any case be practicable.
“The following were present:?Representing the County Councils Association: Mr. E. W. Cemlyn-Jones, Mr. J. W. Black, Mr. W. L. Platts, Dr J. Middleton Martin, Mr. S. M. Johnson. Representing the Association of Municipal Corporations: Alderman Martin, Alderman Hume (with Mr. P. W. Margetts representing Sir H. Pritchard). Representing the Mental Hospitals Association: Alderman Grime, Alderman Locke, Mr. L. T. Feldon (Secretary). Representing the Joint Committee on Voluntary Sterilisation: The Lord Horder, Dr C. P. Blacker, Miss Evelyn Fox, Mrs. Silcock (Secretary).”
The draft Bill which had been prepared by the above-mentioned associa- tions was presented to the Minister on this occasion, together with a note of the public support already obtained for the recommendations of the Brock Committee. As the Minister was informed, the following national organisa- tions have shown themselves sympathetic: ?Magistrates’ Association, Royal College of Physicians, Royal Medico-Psychological Association, Association of County Medical Officers of Health, Society of Medical Officers of Health, Committee on Psychological Medicine of the Medical Women’s Federation, Mental Hospital Matrons’ Association, National Association for the Feeble- minded, National Association of Blind Workers, Prevention of Blindness Committee, National Council of Women, National Council of Equal Citizen- ship, Women Public Health Officers’ Association’s annual conference, and the National Women Citizens’ Association. Long before the publication of the Brock Report, the following women’s political organisations expressed themselves in favour of some measure of sterilisation :?Conservative Women’s Reform Association, Women’s Co-operative Guild, Women’s National Liberal Federation.
These are national bodies, but many local organisations have passed independent resolutions, including a great many National Health Insurance Committees and Voluntary Associations for Mental Welfare, and a large number of branches of the College of Nursing, the Women’s Section of the Labour Party, the Women Citizens’ Association, etc., etc.
Church opinion is divided on this question, but there arc indications that the majority of leaders, both of the Church of England and of the Free Churches, will raise no objections to the proposed legislation so long as adequate safeguards are provided to ensure due respect for religious opinion. On June 17th last, a letter from the Bishop of Southwark and other church leaders was published in The Times, advocating the inclusion of these safeguards in any Sterilisation Bill. Lord Horder immediately replied that he was confident that the Joint Committee would welcome the inclusion of such a safeguarding clause in the Bill under consideration, and his action was approved by the Joint Committee at its subsequent meeting.
Meanwhile, educational work is being carried on as before; branches of the Voluntary Sterilisation League are being formed all over the country, and meetings are held wherever possible. It is hoped that by the time the General Election arrives, interest in the subject will have been aroused in a very large percentage of the constituencies in England and Wales.
Honour for Chairman of Board of Control
We have pleasure in recording the inclusion of the Chairman of the Board of Control in the recent Honours List, and feel sure our readers will like to associate themselves with the message of congratulation which was sent to Sir Lawrence Brock by the C.A.M.W. Council at its last meeting.
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