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p ‘Ru es wanem |} federal funds for stertlizing - Ter Sterizing the Needy SG neneed The ‘issue ig 80 controver- it was clear from’ subse- and Social ‘Policy and the persons who are incapable . sial that a court challengeto _ quent interviews with re- Mental Health Law Project, f of making a reasoned deci- sion on whether they want. the operation. , But many experts with’ ‘ congressional committees ° ‘ and anti-poverty ' organiza-‘: - The rules were written fol-_ lowing disclosures last sum-- ij] mer that federally financed, family-planning clinics, especially in the South, had tions here believe that the rules are not nearly restric- tive enough. . the guidelines seems al- most certain, and legislation - *, that would change ¢ them is-' that neither The Relf girls i -possible, . . According’ to inowledge- “able government bureau .crats, the regulations have — been signed by Caspar W. Weinberger, secretary. of . The rules could permit the” Health, Education and Wel- sterilization of competent fare, and are to become -porters and from testimony which are privately financed [ before Senate subcommittea antipoverty organizations. nor their parents understood : do not provide adequate ‘that they were going to be safeguards against abuse,’’. sterilized. “Halpern said in an inter- The Departments of Jus- view. f tice and Health, Education’ pr, _argued that; - because 5 ‘and Welfare began aninves- the members of the review ‘tigation and learned thatthe panel that would pass judge-|: problem went beyond Alaba- ment on minors and incom: |: . “The regulations simply FE @ 3] money for voluntary sterili- . adults if the chief local wel- - fare officer is convinced that . the persons ‘undergoing the. . operation understand the consequences and give their consent voluntarily. — sterilized dozens of impover- ished teen-agers, many of whom were illiterate or re-. ‘tarded,” ; ; 4] Previous regulations al { lowed the use of government ‘ -7{ zation, .but the guidelines |] were unclear about steriliza-. ] tion of minors and the men-, incompetents, the procedure’ would have to be. approved. by a special committee ap- . pointed by the welfare direc- tor and then by a municipal apartment by court judge. a a cael from _a local clinic. In the case of minors or ; > ma.. : effective Monday. _ About 25.000_adults_wane 25.000 adults The controvers gizrllined — supporediy —at su “Biinnier aroee alter iow was “ett Fagus iagovern 3 5 nner Shonsored bith con ‘ e ASN ne in last half of 1972 ‘had_ been steritizied after RNIN TEES ott signed her “Xto a surgical were e us. “One of the most vocal cri. in Su Charles R. Halpern, a law- nice Ref a Helfand Minnie “andthe Tirst half _of 1973," eee aa —mroregver, at Teast 9 nace yer for the Center for Law’ petents. would-be appointed ‘ by the welfare director, they would: most likely follow the director’s suggestions. “And besides,” Halpern added, “the review commit- tee never sees the great ma- jority of cases” - those per. sons who are judged by wel- fare officials to be capable -of making their own in- ‘tics of the new rules is. formed decision about hav. ing: the operation. Z : New York Times