For Principle's Sake.

Observer, Volume XV, Issue 861, 29 June 1895, Page 2

For Principle's Sake.

It is unjust and unfair of the Star to accuse the Liberal women of any inclination to encourage vice. The vice is already here, and God knows it could not be much worse than it is. The Women's Liberal League is endeavouring to the best of its ability to stem the advancing tide of immorality which is sweepinglike a foul flood over the land — polluting everything it touches that is fair and pure and good. The members have given the question much earnest thought, and have come to the conclusion that a law directed primarily against disease and compelling a certain publicity in the visits of men to houses of immoral resort

would be an effective remedy to the existing condition of things. But what are the Star, <md Professor Aldis, and the others who so vehemently assail the efforts of the Women's Liberal League doing ? Has any one of them ever felt a single prompting of pity for one of the hundreds of unfortunate outcasts who walk our streets night after night ? Has any one of them ever shown an inclination to hold out a helping hand to one of these poor girls who might be willing to reform? Let them ask themselves that question.

On the other hand, this action of the Women's Liberal League is largely the outcome of practical knowledge and observation, begotien while the members have been engaged in their labours in connection with the recently-organised Rescae movement. For some of the members of the "Women's Liberal League are also members of the Rescue Society. The Liberal Women have had the lessons of this question very pointedly brought home to them, They understand them now as the Star, and Professor Aldis and the other shrieking opponents of this phase of social reform may never understand them. They have realised that with or without a CD. Act the annual sacrifice of virtue to man's sexuaL passion is appalling. They realise that the horrible traffic must be controlled — that the man of passion must be ' got at.' And this they find they can very effectually do with the aid of a CD. Act that deals with immoral men. And that CD. Act, also, can and would do much for wives unhappily circumstanced, and for innocent children whose fate it is now to suffer for the sins of a lecherous parent.

The attitude of the Star is cowardly towards the Liberal Women. All the power of vituperation is in the hands of the Star. It can jump on the Liberal Women at pleasure, it can villify them, it can make them despicable in the eyes of their friends. And the Liberal Women cannot talk back. They know they are right, they realise that their arguments are unanswerable, and they must suffer for principle's sake. And, be it understood, this is no question of a bare majority. Last Thursday night, a full meeting of the Council of the League was held, and after a discussion extending over three hours it was resolved, with scarcely a dissentient, to confirm the previous decision in favonr of a CD. Act applied to both sexes. Women of weak understanding, who do not know what the CD. Act means, and who will not investigate the matter for themselves, may be influenced by the hysterical screeds of bathos in the Star, but those women who familiarise themselves with the subject and think for themselves must agree with the Liberal Women that with a C. D. Act applicable to both sexes they wonld have their foot on the neck of the social evil.