MONTPELIER, March 24 . (AP)‐‐The sterilization bill passed the House today by a roll call vote of 142 to 75. It had previously passed the Senate and now goes to Governor Stanley C. Wilson, who sponsored the measure in his inaugural address, for his signature.

The measure has excited more controversy than any single happening in the present sitting of the state governing body. It has been bitterly assailed by church's in general and by the Roman Catholic Church in particular. When it was advanced to a third reading in the house, it excited a warm debate with Ellis of Fair Haven denouncing it bitterly and attacking the stand of Judge H. B. Howe in connection with the bill. Editorials, strongly against the measure, have appeared in most of the state newspapers, while doctors and professionals have debated it heatedly.

It is not the first time that such a measure has appeared in the Vermont legislative body. Some ten years ago, it was advocated by Governor Redfield Proctor but sentiment against it ran high and it was overwhelmingly defeated.

The measure was passed after almost two hours of debate which opened after Speaker Deavitt had warned the House members against indulging in personal remarks, such as were exchanged when the measure was up for advancement to third reading last Friday. The bill provides for the sterilization of idiots, imbeciles, feeble‐minded and insane. The persons themselves or guardians must consent to the operation, and two doctors must pass judgment as to whether or not the person is a fit subject for the operation.

Burke of Burlington, Edgerton of Manchester, Ellis of Fair Haven, Ober of Johnson and Davis of Bridgewater headed the opposition while Mrs. Huff of Shoreham and Harding of West Fairlee were the only proponents of the measure.

Every woman in the House with the exception of Mrs. Farr of Monkton who was absent favored the bill. There were 31 members absent when the roll was called.

Burke opened debate by questioning Mrs. Bickford as to whether or not she would approve of having feeble‐minded persons, idiots, or imbeciles, even though sterilized, released into her community. He claimed even strong‐willed persons yielded to temptation. Mrs. Bickford said the question should have been asked the chairman of the committee on public health instead of her.

Edgerton then launched into a lengthy and eloquent plea for the defeat of the measure. He said the passage of such a measure would not decrease procreation of idiots but would increase immorality. He claimed the title of the bill was sugar‐coated and that disaster came to communities placing money before God. He declared that if the inmates of state schools were sterilized and released it would only mean the state would have a lot of undesirable paupers on its hands.

Referring to the section dealing with the doctors, Edgerton said he admired country doctors but felt that while they would not be prejudiced in handling cases they would be subjected to the prejudices of the small communities. He then called the bill a white‐washing process, a blindfold, and an immoral bugaboo. He declared the sins and crimes of today were not committed by feeble‐minded persons as crime had become an art. Edgerton added that race suicide had been the practice for years and now race murder is contemplated. He said a forced consent was no consent as no one but the person to be operated on had the right to sanction such an operation.