“Using a thick blue pencil, Churchill marked in Sharp’s pamphlet the sections about the Indiana legislation and the operations that had been carried out on both men and women to sterilise them. In September 1910, Churchill wrote to his Home Office officials asking them to investigate putting into practice the “Indiana Law”-dominated by sterilisation, and the prevention of the marriage of the “Feeble-Minded.” Churchill wrote: “I am drawn to this subject in spite of many Parliamentary misgivings....Of course it is bound to come some day.” Despite the misgivings, “It must be examined.” He wanted to know “what is the best surgical operation?” and what new legal powers would be needed to carry out sterilisation.”
Thank providence that Churchill never got any real momentum behind this idea. (WWII certainly threw a monkey wrench in it.)
Indiana was the first state in the US to enact laws of enforced sterilization in 1907. Churchill noticed that, and considered it in 1910. So what.
If it wasn’t for his leadership in WWII, the world would be a terribly different place today.