The year 1915, as noted in the preceding chapter, saw the lines laid down for the repeal of the Comstock blunder. The next four years saw considerable progress in the way of rolling up expressed approval of amending the law, also considerable fumbling around as to just how to go about it. The fact that these four years included the war period had a good deal to do with the latter. All social and civic projects suffered a similar sort of stalling. Sporadic bursts of agitation were easier and more in keeping with the general disorganization of life than was any steady, constructive, fundamental, organized activity. That so much was accomplished under such untoward circumstances, is indication of the vital hold which the idea of doing something about the birth control situation, had upon the thinking public. Or perhaps one might better say the feeling public, for if as much force had gone into thinking as has gone into feeling on this subject, the question of repressive legislation would have been settled long ago. However, there can hardly be doubt that the great wave of emotional interest which grew apace after the first Sanger arrests, and particularly after Mrs. Sanger’s second arrest for opening her contraceptive clinic in 1916, was useful in that it developed a ferment from which presently some clear consistent procedure might be forthcoming which would end the need for agitation. Local birth control organizations sprang up in many parts of the country, many of them being the results of Mrs. Sanger’s lecture tours. It was but natural that local groups should tackle State laws first, as most of the associations were loosely or feebly organized and slimly financed, and Washington seemed far away and Congress formidable. The National Birth Control League was somewhat in this status also. Its headquarters were in New York, and most of its active members lived there, though it had members scattered all over the country, and there were co-operating committees in several cities.