American attitudes toward foreign aid for population control have changed dramatically since the period following World War II, when birth control assistance was considered too controversial for government funding. With growing national and international concern about population growth and poverty in the developing nations and through the efforts of private groups such as the Population Council, the government began to fund birth control programs in the 1960's. The focus on reducing birth rates in poor countries led to excessively optimistic hopes for such programs as well as sometimes simplistic arguments focusing on the relative cost of preventing pregnancy. Poor people were not always as eager to embrace population control as were development experts. A backlash against population control programs emerged at the Bucharest Conference in 1974 with the slogan, "Development is the best contraceptive." Two main tasks now face agencies involved in family planning. Americans must overcome the new attitude that both the United States and poorer countries would be better off if the U.S. provided less assistance. And if the U.S. does provide assistance, some difficult questions must be considered about how these resources can be applied so they go to those with the greatest need. (IS)