Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-03-10
SUPERVISOR HoRRER's VIEWS ON
49,; + VICE

Editor Honolulu 5tar.Bulletin,
Sir: An article by George Cosson,
father of the abatement law of Iowa.
appeared in the Honolulu Star.B ul
letin March 3, and wish TO point out,
as see them, some OF the fallacies Of
his argument for such law
First, he states that the great and
wise biblical character, Moses, did not
prohibit polygamy, adding. in, his. own
opinion, that II was not because Moses
believed in polygamy.
Now, how do We know that II was
not the belief of this teacher that it
was the prerogative of mankind to re-
spond to the desires of the flesh. es-
pecially If he is an unmarried man?
Certainly, from accounts. it would APP
pear that such were the convictions Of
the people of that era.
Cosson goes farther to argue that 1t
was due to the low moral state of the
age. Who. now, can establish that
statement? Surely, If the world at
large. or a particular people, came tn-
der the influence of the good spirit it
was the people of the time of Moses.
centuries nearer the day of our Gordon
earth than now in the year 1917 when
all theologians are deerying the ten
dency of man toward worldly things
Almost in the same breath Cosson
has insinuated, yes actually stated,
that segregated district bespeaks a
corrupt police force. How, ! ask you,
could there be the occasion for cor
ruption of a police force which is
simply policing q segregated district
as compared with the possibilities pre-
scented for such corruption II prosti-
.tutes exist contrary to law. 1t is in
the latter case that the police come In
contact with these women who can not
operate openly and can, therefore, only
do so under police protection.
Next Cosson has jumped to the con-
clusion that the licensing of prosti.
tutes is being seriously considered by
the various municipalities, stating that
it would be bIackmail on the part OF
the City to do so. Surely, no one in
Honolulu is really considering such
proceeding after the manner of licens-
ing mercantile businesses for revenue.
1t would only be fair, however, in the
event of the reestablishment of a re-
stricted district, which would be con-
Quoted along sanitary and health lines,
to receive sufficient income for the
maintenance of such supervision, and
in thoroughly and efficiently giving
examination to all who visited
the district for the protection of every
one concerned and the city at large
Cosson goes on to say, to quote him
verbatim, that out Of every 800 paid
by the unfortunate women but an ex.
tremely small part finds its way to the
treasury of the city, that Ii the transit
the largest part is absorbed by the
police officials who in turn pay the
major portion to some underworld
politician Of the city"
This makes me repeat the question,
even more forcibly in the face of the
absolute childliness Of this statement,
why, in the name Of common. sense,
would the prostitute Of q segregated
district be called upon to pay hundreds
of dollars to what Cosson has plainly
insinuated to be grafters? There
simply would not be reason for such
payments to the police
The prostitutes would have nothing
to fear from the law, so far as their
trade Is concerned, so why, ] ask you,
would they be parting with hundreds
of dollars to grafters If the law did not
force them to? 1t Is preposterous on
the face of it.
1t only remains to say, therefore,
that when law scatters the prosti-
tutes throughout city, it opens the
door for grafters to enter It is the
lack of properly conducted. regulated
and medically supervised restricted
districts which increases crime and
graft and above all spreads disease
which otherwise could be looked after.
Cosson next contends that seTe-
gated district should be removed as