Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-11-04
NOTES AND OPINIONS.
THE PROSTITUTION OF THE FLAG
Baltimore SUM

Baltimore SUM
When Senator 'Hoar recently de-
clared that the man who would use
the American flag in order to retain
possession of land and people
would for the same reason use the sac
ramental wine for debauch' he
meant to emphasize by the strongest
Illustration he could think Of his own
reverence for the flag and his detesta-
ton of the use Mr.. Mckinley is max
ing OF IL Ito retain possession of iand
and people" in the Philippines. What
the venerable Senator from Massa-
cnusettS has TO say of other and baser
uses to which the flag is put under the
auspices of the present Administration
we have yet to hear The revelation,
perhaps, has robbed him of the power
of speech. He cannot be ignorant of
the facts as they are briefly summar-
lied by the Springfield Republican, one
of the ablest as we'll as most reputable
journals in the country, published in
his own State and vicinity. The Re
publican, referring to the publication
by the Chicago New Voice, Il Prohibi-
ton paper, of the report OF it's special
commisSoner-Nlr William i. John
son-upon the liquor traffic and the
social evil as they exist and flourish
under Government patronage in Ma
Mia, says:
What will especially surprise many
people in the United States is that this
business (of female prostitution in Ma
nilal has been taken under the official
recognition and supervision OF the
United States army authorities after
the manner of certain European Con-
tinental cities 1t is. according to Mr..
johnson. the New Voices special COM
missioner to the Philippines, conduct
ed under the supervision of regular
department of the military govern
ment. the Department of Municipal In
spection.' Two whole streets are en-
tirely taken up with houses of Hire
pute,' writes Mr.. Johnson. AT night
these two streets are filed with drunk
en- soldiers, rioting, yelling Americans
and half naked women. In this settle
ment there is scarcely Il house of pros
titution which is not decorated with
American flags, inside and out. Some
OF them have American flags painted
clear across the front of their estab-
lishments. All have glaring signs of
American beers either inside or out.
The flag-who will haul it down?"'"
1t may be added that MIR. johnson
publishes photographs of two of these
houses. both decorated with the Ameri-
can flag. He also publishes in fac
smile (omitting the names) the medi-
cal certificates issued TO the women
The houses, he states, are conducted on
the army cantcen" plan and placed
under guards to prevent the wretched
female inmates from escaping Re-
spectacle families in Manila have been
compelled to leave their homes and
move elsewhere on account of the had
neighborhood of these government
stews.
No wonder that the Springfield Re-
publican thus continues it's comment:
1t is all shocking. illustrating further
depths in the he'll of War-a war in this
moi
purposes. and sccondarily for national
pride and glory: and. shall we say. for
education and civilization and the glory
of God-in view of what has occurred?
We can judge from the above what a
power this criminal aggression has be-
come for the corruption and debauch-
cry of the youth of the United States.
who are drawn into the army of con-
quest by the thousand. What must be
the effect upon the natives? Particu-
larly educating or civilzing or calcu-
lated to promote their admiration and
respect for their new masters and their
peaceful submission"
The New York Evening Post declares
that the picture which Mir Johnson
gives is a concrete example of the civ
iliZation we have thus far offered to the
'savages' Of those islands. The natives
not only hate us for filling thcr streets
with orgies they never saw before. but
are confirmed in their determination
never III submit TO our Tuit. I HIS 10
to contrary of the optimistic Secretary
Root and the super serviceablc Profess
sor Worcester. who say: Re-clcct Nc
I[inlcy and all viii be serene.
Mr.. John Foreman. the eminent
English authority upon the Philip
| pines, who was invited by our Peace
Commissioners To Paris to testify as
to the condition of the islands and the
people as he then knew it, in his re-
cent article in the London National
Review. to which we have more than
once had occasion to refer. states that
within fortnight after the Americans
occupied Manila the number Of drink
ing saloons had multiplied fourfold and
that they are now twentyfold more
numerous than they had been under
Spanish rule He also adds that there
was simultaneously n great influx of
women of ill-fame. Thus it is that
trade follows the flag. We commend
these CHASTITY facts to the careful con-
sideration of those excellent people,
ministers of the Gospel included. who
| are In the habit OF associating the adj
| vance OF the flag with the spread OF
morality and Christianity. and who re-
| gard the army rs a sort of auxiliary
or pioneer missionary society for the
evangeization of the heathen--of such,
that is, as escape the deadly fire of the
krag -JorgensenS and Cuttings, upon