To the Editor of the "NontH-Cuiva Dairy News."
Sm—Hopeful (your correspon. dent)" seems to be quite elated upon the discovery that streets {which five years ago teemed with brothels and. prostitutes are now ined with houses of respectable people. Tu most cases, everyone must agree with him.
'As there are, however, many rides to a story, I shall be much' obliged if you will permit me to trespass upon your columns to deal with a subject which may be {distasteful; if you deem that this Totter is unfit for publication, please destroy it.
One evening this week, an upcountry friend and myself went out for an after-dinner stroll. As we walked along, my friend was struck the surprising number of un= {escorted women in the street and, Thad T not known. better, T would {have felt extremely proixd of my [birthplace when my friend enlurs-Jed upon the safety of morals. in this great city, due to Commissions Jot Moral Welfare who had made Tereat and vigorous attacks against the existence of licensed premises.
Tet him talk on.
Just then, as we paused to light cur cigars, we saw across the road wolldressed young lady. coming over to on side. She went straight up to my companion and accosted {him. From what I overheard, T eonetuded that she was one of those Vunfortunate wonien who, because (they may not appear in licensed brothels, have to resort to camoufage and street walking. We got rid" of this woman quickly. This incident serves, however, to illus trate what happens every night all over thie town.
Whereas there used to be licensed houses in well-defined districts, the evil has now spread and there seems sto be no means to ascertain its full "extent.
Who is responsible for this sad state "of affairs? The body of moralists who sought to suppress [prostitution "by the closing of Why continue this game of "ostrich?" Why not face the evil frankly and intelligently? Why will some members of the vice commissions attempt to prove that their Policy is right by quoting statistics of other cities? Shanghai has its own problem owing to the nature of its population, people of all races and. creeds. Let these members think of the multitude of young men who have silently suffered and endured their illnesses and the surgeon's i their risks have multiplied.
Although some members of the Vise Commission may thunder and overwhelm with arguments and statistics, in the court of their own consciences they must admit that their original policy is wrong.
Thanking you in anticipation for your courtesy in publishing this letter as an expression of op irom the other side
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.