MONTPELIER, Vt., March 11 (AP)‐‐ The sterilization bill was advanced to the third reading in the Senate today on a roll call vote of 21 to 7. Two members, Senators Egelston and Olney were absent.

Those voting for the bill, were Adams, Bancroft, Barber, Benson, Brewer, Clark, Comings, Goddete, Humphrey, Keyes, Leonard, Murdick, Northrop, Peet, Pierce, Rousseau, Shield, Stacey, Stone, Tupper, Wells.

Those voting against the bill were Butterfield, Campbell, Grout, Hopkins, Lathrop, Webster, and Wills.

Senator Webster alone voiced his objections to advancement of the bill. He said he objected because the measure calls upon ordinary physicians to make fine distinctions as to imbecility and idiocy. Then, he said, they have to decide if the persons affected know what is good for them. This is the kind of legislation, he said, that is "good for the other fellow," and he warned that imbecility and like mental diseases are not peculiar to any age or generation and may happen to anyone or any family at any time.

"I don't like either," he continued, "any law which lets the overseer of the poor walk around the streets and pick out those likely to become a public charge and then recommend the provisions of this bill." Quoting from a letter he had received from a clergyman, he declared the bill to be an outrageous attack on the human person and against moral law. He assailed sterilization as a "fad that had come out of the West that is adopted and after awhile falls into disuse and is abandoned."

The bill was advanced to third reading with amendments by the committee to which it had been recommended. These amendments make it incumbent that the physicians making the examination and performing the operation should be surgeons as well as physicians. They also fixed the fee to be paid for examination at $3 for each physician and surgeon and the fees to be paid for the operation at $20 for males and $30 for females.

__________________________________________

Burlington Free Press, March 13, 1931:

Sterilization Bill Passed

The sterilization bill passed the Senate today on a roll call vote of 22 to 8, after an amendment had been adopted removing the powers of the overseer of the poor to apply the terms of the measure to subjects he thought likely to become town charges. Senator Webster of Franklin attacked this provision of the bill and proposed an amendment which would eliminate a part of the section giving discretionary power over an overseer if he thought a person was likely to become a public charge. Barber of Windham agreed with Webster in this amendment but declared the section was going too far. He then proposed an amendment to Webster's amendment which would take away all power of the overseer of the poor in this matter. Pierce of Windsor supported Barber and the amendment was adopted. On the roll call vote, at the request of Tupper of Chittenden, the bill was passed.

Those favoring passage of the bill were Adams, Bancroft, Barber, Benson, Brewer, Clark, Comings, Egelston, Goddete, Humphrey, Keyes, Leonard, Murdick, Northrop, Olney, Peet, Pierce, Rousseau, Shield, Stacey, Stone. Those opposed were Butterfield, Campbell, Grout, Hopkins, Lathrop, Tupper, Webster, and Wills.

__________________________________________

Burlington Free Press, March 18, 1931:

Sterilization Bill Reaches House

The sterilization bill was read into the House today. It passed the Senate last week. Immediately following its first reading a protest from the St. Therese Court, Catholic Daughters of America, of Waterbury, was read protesting against the passage of such legislation.