WO groups of Nobel Prize winners, one European and the other American, have appealed to the Pope to reconsider the Church's position on birth control.
The appeals, which were sent to the Pope by Archbishop Cardinale, Apostolic Delegate to Britain, have been put before the special commission working on the birth control problem in Rome.
The larger group, consisting of 42 scientists from Britain and other European countries, appealed to the Vatican to allow parents to "exercise the right to have. so far as possible, only the number of children which can be cared for and cherished",
This group is led by Sir Peter Brian Medawar, a biological scientist who is director of the National Institute for Medical Research in London. The 36 Americans (joined by two Australians and an Argentinian) are led by Dr. E L. Tatum. a biologist with the Rockefeller Medical Foundation in New York.
Cardinal Cicognani, Secretary of State at the Vatican has acknowledged the letters.
The European group said in their letter, dated March 12, that "because of the profound bearing of your decision on human welfare and happiness, now and for many years to come, we urge you to give due weight to the ever growing problem which contends: "That the uncontrolled growth of population is a major evil of present times; "That unwanted children are a source of unhappiness, privation and distress; and "That parents should be able to exercise the right to have, so far as possible, only the number of children which can be cherished and cared for."
They offered the Pope "the best of our professional capacities and endeavours" in assisting the Church to reach a decision.
• Cardinal Suenens of Brussels, one of the four Cardinal moderators of the Council, has said in a pastoral letter that the Church, in appraising the bitth control question, could never consent to "situation" ethics which defy the universal moral law. He added that the general and basic principles of moral life are not subject to human fluctuations and that the unchangeable laws of human conduct and values remain in force in a II circumstances. T h e Church's job was to protect and spell them out. he said.