A motion that compulsory birth control be introduced for Jewish families was offered to the Latvian Sejm today by a clerical deputy, Beldau, as a counter motion to a bill calling for the legalization of abortions which was later adopted by a vote of fifty to thirty-three.
Beldau proposed that Jews be for bidden by law to have more than two children. Under the legalization of abortions, native Latvians run the risk in course of time of being outnumbered by Jews and other minorities, Beldau holds. For this reason he introduced his bill for compulsory birth control among the Jews, he explained.
Deputy Dubin, speaking in behalf of the Jewish deputies, strongly criticized Beldau’s motion. He also stated that the Jewish deputies are opposed to the legalization law.
He scored the priest for introducing the Jewish question in a matter which from the religious viewpoint should have been opposed.
After the legalization bill had been adopted Beldau explained that he had not meant to insult the Jews, but merely to point out that the Jews follow the Scriptural injunction and that the Latvians have much to learn from them.
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