“UNMORAL” YOUTH

Timaru Herald, Volume CLIII, Issue 22470, 4 January 1943, Page 2

“UNMORAL” YOUTH

Bitter Attack By Sydney Vicar A bitter attack on the youth of today was made at the Anglican Synod by the Rev. W. G. Coughlan, of Kingsford. a Sydney suburb, when supporting the Synod’s decision to appoint a committee to investigate the sale of contraceptives. He declared: “We have a generation growing up that is not immoral, but unmoral. They just haven’t any morals at all. and act like animals.” Mr Coughlan said that unrestricted advertising of contraceptives was dangerous. It was leading people to buy injurious preparations, was a temptation to irregular unions and was restricting the birth rate. As a result of advertisements in chemists’ shops, and in pamphlets distributed freely, dozens of people carried prophylactics with them, and felt free to pick up any girl. Tn many instances, too. girls were carrying them. "I feel that properly controlled medical clinics should be set up and provided with adequate supplies of contraceptives, for there are many instances where their use would be quite desirable—particularly for men who are in camp and get only a few days’ leave each month,” said Mr Coughlan. “If the people were educated, and given a proper moral outlook, they would be able to deal with their passions in a moral way. In time, there would be no use for contraceptives by other than married people, who would have ample justification for their use. “Figures on the manufacture of contraceptives are appalling. The Government should take control of the whole thing in conjunction with the B.M.A. and thus put an end to the current peddling by greengrocers and barliers. as well as chemists, in the