Another bit of human “crime” is an actual instance which occurred in the experience of a Washington man who has been active in the campaign to change the laws regarding birth control knowledge. It was several years ago, when the effort to introduce a bill into Congress was still new. He dropped into the office of a certain Congressman whom he knew well, his errand being on another matter, but in passing he mentioned the work of the organization which had proposed the first Federal bill on this subject, and inquired if he had yet met the Director. Instantly the Congressman was alert. “No, but I would like to, and you are just the man I want to see right now. I want you to tell me how to get all the best information there is on this question of regulating the growth of a family. I need it.” He outlined his own situation. He had four splendid youngsters, all of them wanted and welcomed. But since the birth of the last one his wife had not been well, and it was far from wise for her to have another one soon, certainly not for several years. Also he was not a man of means. He could not afford to rear a very large family. The question of control had never been pressing before. Now it was imperative. Strange as it might seem he was practically without reliable information as to methods. Would Mr. —— be so mighty kind as to put him in the way of getting proper instruction? He would, and did. But it was utterly unlawful. However he was a cordially willing criminal, and the Congressman likewise cordially appreciated the friendly criminality. “Of course you can count on me to vote that bill when it comes up in Congress,” he said with emphasis that was most sincere. It is obvious from the foregoing examples, which might be multiplied indefinitely, that the present status of our laws is profoundly at odds with the beliefs and the needs of the people. What then do the people need or want in the way of laws, if they need any at all, on this subject? A necessary preliminary to answering that question is to take account of the stock of laws we already have, to inspect them open-mindedly, and then to add or subtract from them whatever common sense, justice and self-respect may require. First of all we have the Federal law which affects the whole country. Then we have State laws in all the States but two, which either directly or by inference form a legal barrier between the people and this knowledge. In just half of the forty-eight States there are specific prohibitions. In all but two of the other half, the same prohibition is feasible under the obscenity laws, by virtue of the precedent of the Federal obscenity law and the obscenity laws of half the States, for it is in these obscenity laws that the prohibition of the circulation of contraceptives is found. The Federal law was passed first and is the model on which all the State laws are framed.