Militarism and Prostitution.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 2, Issue 36, 10 November 1911, Page 17

Militarism and Prostitution.

BY ERNE

ST JONES.

Some twenty odd years ago a meeting was held in the Manchester Toavii Hall, Sir Bosdin Leech (Mayor) presiding, to protest against something that was going on in India. I was young in years, and the matter discussed had no special interest for mc at the time. I was serving an apprenticeship to a trade, and Avas present, AA-orking during the meeting. It Avas a divided meeting—a number of colonels and majors and what not be- ' ing in opposition to the question * debated. A very A r enerable emotional old lady took the floor, addressed the meeting, and concluded with a few remarks that stuck in my memory. They Avere to the effect that "if it was necessary that women should be attached to British regimental brothels in India, it Avas equally necessary that every battleship should haA r e a part set aside- for a proportionate number of prostitutes for the use of the sailors."

I had reason recently to recall the meeting and subject vividly before mc. A book came my way called "The Queen's Daughters in India,'.'/by Elizabeth W. Andrews and Ratherine T. Bushnell. It contains a preface by Mrs. Josephine E. Butler, from Avhich I take the following extracts: —

I Avish that every woman in the United Kingdom could read this little boola It tells the truth, the terrible truth, concerning the treatment of certain Indian Avomen —our felloAV citizens and sisters — by the British Government. I believe if the truth were knoAvn i hroughout the length and breadth <-.-r our land it- would become im- -- 3sible for our rulers to continue i > maintain the cruel and wicked regulations by Avhich these Indian women are enslaved and destroy-

I am a loyal Englishwoman ; I love my country. It is because of my great love for her that I mourn so deeply over her dishonour in the promotion of such legislation and practices as this book exposes, and that I will not cease to denounce the crimes committed in her name so long as I have life and breath.

To Avhich I say "Bravo!" and "Hear! hear!" Beyond .asserting that legalised prostitution is part and parcel of all efficient (?) military systems, I intend to let the book talk. Seven years hence the boy conscripts of to-day will be men. The defence scheme, as defence schemes must, Avill have failed. Our friends the Government will be forced by the press, as in the present scheme, to more drastic proposals, and AA'hat this little book reveals of the degradation and infamy of military occupation in India will be established in our very midst, for at the back of the "vice regulation" system of India are Lord Roberts and the British aristocracy. So surely as the people of this Dominion sanction the iniquitous proposals of compulsory militarism to become established, so surely will the morality of the nation find its virtue in- the gutter.

But to the book dent: —

An opening mci

In the year 18-56 before the Mutiny,

A Startling Indictment—The British Precedent.

Here was the beginning. Forty-onfc years later, during AA'hich interval C.DJ Acts had been passed and repealed (and ignored in India), and Government re| gulations formulated and elaborated, a memorial signed by one hundred and twenty-three British women, of whom half belonged to the titled aristocracy. presented to the British Government on April 24, 1897, declared: We feel it is the duty of the State, which of necessity collects togethei large numbers of unmarried men in military service, to protect them from the consequences of evih which are in fact unavoidable. (By state regulation of vice.) /

Lady was one evening riding out on horseback at Nmballa, unattended, Avhen the bridle of her horse was- suddenly seized by a British soldier, who was possessed of evil desio-ns against her. Most earnestly she protested against his violence, and remonstrated Avith him. Besides the Avrong to her, to injure one of her social rank Avould utterly ruin his entire future, as he Avould be flogged and dismissed from the service. Thereupon en* sued a conversation m which M pleaded extenuation for such J crime so successfully that she readj ily accepted his false statement that there Avas excuse for vice whed soldiers Avere not allowed ta marry. . . .. The lady latej talked with high military official| concerning the necessity of proj tecting high-born ladies from such risks by furnishing opportunities for sexual indulgence to the Bri-j tish soldiers, and the result was* the elaboration and extension of a system for the apportionment of native Avomen to regiments.

A recent official plea for licensed prostitution in the cantonments of India says: "The efforts to teach the soldiers habits of self-control have signally failed." The report of the Army Health Association has printed on its coA'er such texts as "Keep thyself pure," "He that soAveth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption," giv-: ing the impression it is a religious puh-i lication. In Jfact, it is interspersed all through with Scripture quotations. The introduction is a plea for the reestablishment of the abolished system of regulations. The report states "that a 'Handbook' has been circulated to all fresh arrivals in India," and the clos-: ing chapter is a reprint of that Haud-j book, which is especially designed fori any chaplains to circulate amongst soL-5 diers as a "religious" tract. Inter-] spersed with the Scripture tracts are !| ; abominable instructions to the effect that a young man who Avill confine his visits to the Government licensed bro-j thel can trust the Lord to keep him ( from contracting disease. "W r e shall never forget what AA r e oaao to Lord Roberts," .says the reports, and aa-c mighthave anticipated (says our authors) that the author of the infamous memorandum Avould likewise be the supporter of such measures for the instruction of young soldiers.. Of the infamous memorandum and its responsible parent Aye Avill next- speak.