The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-01-19
A Real Social
Evil Treatise

From the pen of Abraham Flexner has come
the second notable volume in the series of four
undertaken by Mr.. John ID. Rockefeller, Ir's
bureau of social hygiene. entitled Prostitution
In Europe" Its publication today is note
worthy public service whose value cannot easily
be overestimated. In the first place. il fills a
great scientific need in straightforward. nom
technical form. For years past the desirabity
Of such study has been manifest; modern
book covered this field with any genuine
thority. To understand anything about it, it
was necessary to read a great amount of med
zeal literature and numerous detailed studies
of what is the most difficult of all social prob
ems The result has been that there has been
the loosest sort Of talk, not only in the public
press. but by men In public life, like General
I bingham, former commissioner of police.
Basing their beliefs hearsay, ii has beeh the
Icustom to inveigh against American methods
by the easy assertion that the European policy
/ Of liberation and sanitation was the best. These
statements difficult to rerute, because of
the lack Of material at once accessible and scen-
/ tifc.
Hereafter there will be difficulty that
score MR. gexner- was selected for the task
because he trained investigator, skilled In
I analysis and familiar with social and educational
problems. Never having taken up this evil be-
fore he brought it open mind, free from
prepossessions. fact which makes the results
Of his inquiry particularly valuable. Let it be
said at once that those who have had patent
remedy for this social sore, like the single
takers ana those woman SuI1TaRlStS VINO 1eei
that the Acknowledgement of women will end
it all by the substitution of laws Jointly made
by and women for those made by men
alone vii lohtain little satisfaction from this
volume While its note is distinctly hopeful
Mr.. Flexner presents magic remedy cure
He has merely analyzed the problem investi-
gated supply and demand and the relation of
the evil to the law and to public order, and
has summarized at the end the outcome of all
this European experience II he finds prosti-
ttt far han 10 pi1f.4t iariy
posed. he has discovered, the other hand
like every ether conscientious observer. new
currents and tendencies. like those in our own
country. which give ground for belief that the
era of an intelligent graphing with the prob
lem is at hand. Al last we are beginning, by
such works this and the studies of the various
vice commissions in American cities, to know the
problem 1t really is Without such accurate
scientific knowledge there can he sound basis
either for legislation or for that campaign of
education in responsibility and ethics which
affords the best ground for the belief that the
next decade viii record notable gains for hui
mainly.
To our mind the greatest cause for thank
fuiness is that Mr.. Flexner has dealt a knock
out blow to the theory that liberation. Official
approval, and medical inspection form the really
scientific method of dealing with prostitution
They are nothing of the kind. Aside from the
Fact that this means government partnership
with vice, and inevitable moral deterioration OF
supervising officials, Mr.. FleXner fnds that reg
ulation is losing ground everywhere its total
abolition has been recommended in France by
special commission. while 4S out of 1862 Ger
man cities have dispensed with 1T. The truth
- that regulation never regulates, a nd medical
control controls Besides offending all
decency. the medical examinations often
anything but scientifically conducted. and
usually - superficial to be worthless, uhe
spread of disease certifies. For the survival Of
regulation, Mr.. F1exner declares. Ignorance, ira
diuon, misinformation and baser motives are
responsible. The officials connected with 1t
naturally feht for their places AS for the
morals police OF Europe, they are In a position
TO sell favors, exemptions and privileges and
w. r. Stead conclusively showed are for
ever tempted TO become procurers and abcttorE
OF the illegal system which the government Az
thorizes them to control. Particularly 10 Mr..
Flexner impressed with the fact that 1t IL every
where admitted That whore there Il ono reg.
srersd 1611sn woman there are thre unrcg1s-