Wyon Questions India Sterilization Measure

The Indian government will go ahead with legislation for the compulsory sterilization of all men who have three or more children, but a Harvard population expert doubts the measure will be effective.

John B. Wyon, Lecturer on Population Studies in the School of Public Health and Senior Research Associate in Population Studies, said in an interview yesterday that the new proposal would probably not even pass in the Legislature.

"I'm just speculating," he said, "but the Indian government and its vigorous health minister are anxious to get on with birth control now--partly for themselves and partly, maybe, to show the U.S. and the A.I.D. program that it is trying to help itself."

"The proposal is a brave one, but not likely to solve the central problem. People won't submit to it," said Wyon.