The sterilization measure was passed in the House 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 operation.

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

Every woman in the House the exception of Mrs. Farr of Monkton, who was absent, favored 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 decrease procreation of idiots but it would not decrease 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 that the sins and crimes of today were not committed by feeble‐minded persons as crime had become 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 bad the right to sanction such an operation.

Ellis read a letter received from a woman protesting against the passage the bill, and Ober of Johnson said no one had the right to interfere with the functions God has bestowed upon humans. Davis argued against the liberation of feeble‐minded persons. He added, "we represent the people of the State. The question was not brought up before election. It was not mentioned in the campaign, therefore the people have not passed on it. There are several petitions here against this bill but none in favor of it."

Miss Hull answered the State had a welfare department which was capable of caring for and watching the activities of those liberated from institutions. Harding of West Fairlee said the House should think of the poor suffering children that will come into the world in the future if such a bill was not passed.

Those opposing passage were Aiken of Putney, Baker, Bell, Brown of Moretown, Burke,. Butler, Clark of Dummerston, Corry, Coyle, Daniels of Norton, Davis of Bridgewater, de Banville Desmond, Dyer, Edgerton, Ellis, Farrell, Ferson, Field. Finnigan, Gould of Canaan, Grant, Hall of Wilmington, Hanley, Hanson, Harvey of Waterbury, Harvey of Duxbury, Hayes, Hitchcock, Hodge, Holbrook, Horst, Houghton, Howe, Joslyn, Lakin, Leahy, Lesure, Lucier, Lumbra, Mahar, McCullough, Metcalf, Miller, Murphy, Myers, Newton of Granby, Norris, Ober, O'Shea, Page of Clarendon, Park, Patrick, Peet, Perkins, Perry, Phalen, Pike, Pillsbury, Powers of Waterford, Proctor, Barney, Richardson, Ross, Smith of Windham, Stickney, Tatro, Tebeau, Temple, Thompson, Webb, Whitney of Wardsboro, Wimett, Ayer, Bentley.

Those absent were Bradshaw, Burleson, Collins, Cutler, Elliot, Emery, Mrs. Farr, Fletcher, Gould of Elmore, Graves, Haire, Hammond, Harrington, Haskins, Hunter, Johnson, Lane, Moultroup, Palmer, Shutler, Sisco, Smith of Lyndon, Smith of Rutland City, Smith of Starksboro, Start, Stufflebeam, Swanson, Whitney of Salisbury, Whitney of Tunbridge, Willis. All others voted for the passage of the bill.