‘America and Its Poor’

Most of the parents interviewed in your series on poverty have three, four, five and six children. How can anyone expect to support such large families in our economy? This may have been an advantage 50 years ago back on the farm, but today in the city it is an overwhelming burden, ending in the need for welfare in most cases.

The series avoids the issue entirely, except for a lukewarm statement that analysts believe there is a need to “caution” teen-agers against pregnancy. We don’t need any more unwanted, unplanned, neglected, abused, abandoned, malnourished children. We must face the facts: Sex education and the availability of family planning services are essential to the elimination of poverty.

Everyone should have the means to choose the number of children they want and can care for.

L.K. SMITH

Newbury Park