THE WHITE SLAVE TRAFFIC.

White Ribbon, Volume 19, Issue 221, 18 November 1913, Page 1

THE WHITE SLAVE TRAFFIC.

lii a previous paper we dealt with tin* White Slave Traffic—what it i>Befoic* attempting to give any idea of whit has been done to suppress the traffic, it will be necessary first to some accotnt of different methods that have been tried to suppress or regulate prostitution. They may practically all be summed up under ihe following headings: Lock Hospitals, Cantonments Acts (India), Contagious Diseases \<ts i( .1). Acts), Regulation, and Segregation. One* or more of these methods has been tried by practically every < ivilised nation in the world, but only by the c ivilised, for prostitution and venereal diseases belong only to civilisation. They have been tried, but each in turn has not only failed, but almost invariably increased the evil it was designed to reduce 01 prevent; and the countries now unde i “regulation, or segregation, are the chief destina turns of the victims of the White Slave Traffic. Lock Hospitals, the Cantonment Acts, (LI). Act*, and Regulation, appear to aim at, a* tar as possible, preventing disease ; segregation at limiting the* area in which prosti tution may be practised, and so keeping the rest of a < it\ tree* from the evidences of the vice. but the result of each is to make vice* legal, and so of necessity it can c laim legal protection vested interests, and so it flourishes. No doubt the question of prostitution is one of the most difficult problems that those interested in the social and moral welfare »>1 a nation have to face. In the past legislation scenis

to have aimed more at minimising the physical effect' than pre venting vice. Appalled at the terrible ravages of venereal disease, they sought by laws and regulations to lessen virulence. Lor more than ino years wo have some accounts of the* different efforts that have been made, both in Kngland and in connection with our Army in India. The earliest record wc have come ac ross is in 1805, when Lock Hospitals were set on foot in the* Madras Presidency. These appear to have been established tor the- compulsory detention of any women found to be suffering from disease, but men similarly affected were* left at liberty to infect others. 1 hree years later an ottn lal report states that, with two exceptions, cases of venereal disease had increased since the* Lock Hospitals were opened.” The following year nine out of seventeen hospitals were closed. In 1810 a report states that 0110 soldier in seven in Bangalore wa* diseased, and Lock Hospitals were again established in the stations in the Madras Presidency, where there were British troops. In 1852 the Directors of the Last India Company reconsidered the propriety of abolishing Lock Hospitals. Lord Bentine k stated his opinion that ‘*a more useless plan was never devised for preventing the diffusion ot veneral, and that they had actually failed.” The following year they were again closed, only to be opened again a few years later, and for a good many years this seems to have been their history. “In 185 c), Sir Ronald Martin, C. 8., K.R.S., physician to the Council of India, at a Koval Commission, said:

‘Folia* regulation' were formerly enforeed at the stations, and courses of inspection and locks were established, but they have been established and abolished, and established and abolished over and over again, mi that 1 do not know what is now in existence, or whether there is anything in existence on the subject.’ ” The* testimony of many of the officers who gave their opinions at this Commission wa> in condemnation of the lock hospital system. One said that police measures for preventing the infection of the* 'oldiers with venereal disease cannot be carried further than herein ordered (this alludes to orders for expulsion) without involving the certain degradation and oppression of mam women of respectable character, and occasioning other evils which, in hiopinion, would be much greater than that which it i- the* object to remedy.’’ Another, after advising that women should not be interfered with in any way except providing dispensaries or hospitals, to which they might resort if they chose, said: “1 he- proper and only wise method of reducing this disease is to improve the* condition, the state of moral being, of those who resort to the*>c* women; coercion of every kind always inc rcases these evils. Moral forces alone are of any value.” In spite of these* opinions, the* Commissioners approved the- reorganisation of the* measures formerly adopted, though they also recommended that the time of the soldiers should be* well and full)' oee upied in

work, instruction, and recreation. Some idea of how the-e measures were carried out may be* gained from the report of the* evidence of Dr. Ross before another Commission <n IN7I. 11 is Indian experience appears to have been front INSC; to iNtiN. He* says: “When a regiment arrives in India, a certain establishment is told off for eat h regiment when it arrives, and amongst others there i- an establishment of prostitutes, who are housed in the bazaars, and regularly looked after by a matron appointed for that purpose, and superintended and examined by the surgeon of the regiment.’’ “When a regiment goes on line of march, there is a form to be filled up. and in one column there i- amongst the camp-follow Ms one for prostitutes, showing the* number who are permitted to follow the* regiment, and those women we made a point of examining every fortnight.”

“There is a head woman, under the* name of matranee, who is at the* head of busbees, or prostitutes. She* selects the women. She i*> told that such and such a regiment is coining into the station, and, according to whether the re giment has had a name sent before it or otherwise, she* gets a small or large niimbet of women to come to her.” “When I got to India with m\ regiment . . . there were onl> 12 women cairn, but I desired that they snould increase the number, because* I knew that it would only be a source* of disease afterwards, having such a small number of women for sue h a large number of men.” “I he re* is a certain c lass in India who arc* prostitutes by profession, and it is difficult to get other classes to become prostitutes, except occasion ally, and on the sly. Those you cannot lay your hand on.” I)r. Ross’s evidence was confirmed by that of Lieut.-General Lord Sandhurst. This plain-spoken, candid report give s some idea of the* system under which our British Government were procurers for the soldiers in India. Commenting on this and other measure's, the “Sentinel.’ in iN«i;, says: ‘‘lt may be* information to some people to learn that there 1- a terrible- discontent regarding this mat ter simmering in tin* Hindoo mind, which, subtle and -tni-ter. -ee* through and resents inwardly the hypoe risy of sending missionaries and praying c Implant' to teach one thing and act another. A Mahomniedan gentleman of Madras College said to me very indignantly: ‘Why does not your country send white women for your soldiers? How dare you take our women? We arc* getting ourselves educated, and we shall soon be* as strong as they. Then they shall pay for it.’ This with a look that said more than words. Hut what a hubbub there would be if our ‘necessity’ advocates proposed to send out a cargo of English women to India for degradation by our soldiers! Yet the-e Indian girls arc* ju-t as valuable* to their own selves and to their country.” (To be Continued.)