Truth THE PEOPLE'S PAPER. SOLDIERS AND DISEASE

NZ Truth, Issue 692, 21 September 1918, Page 4

Truth THE PEOPLE'S PAPER.

SOLDIERS AND DISEASE

NEW ZEALAND HEAD OFFICE—! Wellington: Manners-street PROVINCIAL REPRESENTATIVES— Auckland: 3 Custom-street East Christchurch: 102 Gloucester- street SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 1918.

Plain Wards from the High * Commissioner h:f ■ ' — — ■ — Some. time ago a New Zealand lady m London wrote a rather plain-Speak - ing article on. venereal disease, etc., .which was published m several of our respectable "day-lies." If we recollect aright, the lady bodly advocated the establishment of special brothels for the overseas troops, and stated that not only waa she willing to manage such an establishment, but declared that the necessary assistance being forthcoming, she certainly Intended to do so. While there was much m the article which "Truth" heartily endorsed, and much more to which it could take little or no objection, nevertheless, there .was something m its general tone which' seemed to imply that such a place would be established for the express purpose of encouraging our New Zealand boyß to illicit sexual indulgence. At least, that is what many fathers, mothers, and sweethearts of boys who had gone to "do their bit" read out of or into the article m question. Many protests against the article, and more against the project, poured into the Minister of Defence, with the result that all future communications to the New Zealand press from the lady m question were censored. The idea had got abroad, however, that the suggestion made m the article objected to had actually materialised, and a Wellington lady, the mother of a boy, who has been "doing his bit" for some considerable time, wrote to the New Zealand High Commissioner, Sir Thomas MacKenzie, m regard to the same, .and has received from him a most courteous reply, m the course of which he says: • i With reference to the question of establishing brothels m this country, no such proposal was ever made by anyone, so far as I know, and had it been made it could not be carried out, for it is against the law of this country to establish lrcensed houses; and Parliament, even If some people advocated the system, would not pass legislation to that end. The statement that I had supported such a proposal is without foundation. • # • Further on m his letter Sir Thomas shows that the question of the great risk run by overseas, troops has exercised him greatly, and that he has done and is doing all one man can do to help to lessen the danger. Whenever I have had the opportunity I have counselled the men to keep fit and to resist temptation, but more is required. We ought to keep temptation away as much as we can, and provide wholesome amusement and recreation for men who are on furlough or convalescent. In this respect a great deal has been done, and we cannot be too grateful to the men and women who are carrying out the .work. In concluding his letter, Sir Thomas says: Yesterday we carried a resolution asking the Home Secretary to support the policing of our streets, by' women constables, and of giving them certain powers. I have great faith m this proposal. # # # But it is not only m private letters to friends and correspondents that New Zealand's High Commissioner speaks out on this unsavoury subject. At a conference at the War Office on May 10 Sir Thomas, after pointing out the difference m the liquor laws of New Zealand from those of the Old Country, said: / It seems to me the great evil m this community is that you have not the courage to face the problem of treating this disease properly and dealing with loose women who everywhere lie m wait for the soldier. It is done m the most brazen fashion, and I cannot myself imagine a community like this allowing such a state of things to exist. Our soldiers almost before they come from the railway station are seized, accosted, and insulted frequently by hideous expressions from young girls because they do not go with them. The police are not to blame, because you . do not give them ahy power to act. They are powerless, because the law, as I understand it, is that a policeman cannot" take action unless the man complains that the woman is soliciting to his annoyance. . Well, you will not get a great many men to do that; therefore the police are powerless, and nothing is done. I know that m our country our women folk have been contented to see their sons come here and take all the risks of war at the front, but they are certainly not content that they should take the worse risks of your towns, and it seems to me that it is possible to remedy the state of affairs that prevails. It may be appropriate to here quote what Sir Thomas said on a previous occasion. At a luncheon tendered by the Butchers' Company to Mr. Massey and Sir Joseph Ward on their former visit to London (February 28, 1917), the _ chairman of the London County Council said he never walked along the Strand without admiring ; the splendid physique and bearing of the New Zealand soldiers who had come so .many miles over the seas to help to fight the Empire's battles. Sir Thomas McKenzie replied on behalf of the visitors, arid, m doing so, he took the opportunity, to speak some home truths, a very uiiusual thing to do at a banquet. Sir Thomas said: I will detain you only for a few moments, but I feel obliged to mention a subject of the utmost importance. It might sound a little out of place at a social gathering, but it is not often m these times that one has the opportunity of meeting m the same room the chairman of the London County Council, the Lord Mayor of London, and so many In- . fluential city people. I therefore deem it my duty to speak very plainly on a matter that is causing serious anxiety;. We have to-day heard ■ many compliments paid to" the physique and bearing of our New Zealand, soldiers. I would like to ask the chairman of the London County Council, the Lord Mayor and Aldermen of the City of London, what part they are performing in' order to preserve that magnificent physique and manly bearing. Are you doing anything to remove the temptation to excessive drinking that prevails m certain parts of the city? There is another and even worse evil than that m our midst. The wives, mothers, .sisters, and sweethearts of our boys m New Zealand have nobly seconded the patriotism of our men to come to fight for the Empire, but -they have not done so m order that the men should be ' expbsed to greater risks m the towns of this country with infinitely worse consequences than are the dangers to be met with m the fighting line m France. I ask the Lord Mayor, and the chairman of the London County Council what steps they are taking to rid tlie Strand and other streets m this great city of disease-infected women who are ■ daily and nightly waylaying our soldiers? So far as I can see you

are doing, absolutely nothing. You talk a great deal, but you ar« not effectively moving a single finger to correct these shocking evils. You are m authority, and you have the power to take steps, and I call upon you, if not m the name of your own soldiers, at any rate m the name of the soldiers from overseas, to rid yourselves, so far as it is possible, of the conditions to which I have alluded, and that at the earliest possible moment. The approval of every father and mother m New Zealand will go out to the High Commissioner for these straight and manly words, spoken at a time when others were perhaps more concerned with saying nice things and throwing bouquets at their fellowguests.