Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-03-05

10 n00rSe, get benind and Dack the
plan OF businessmen OF Honolulu.
members OF the anti-vice committees
and especially of the committee from
the Chamber OF Commerce to secure
the passage by the legislature OF an
abatement by injunction Law as an ef.
fectual check TO commercialized vice
In Honolulu. The motion was made
by =. j. Lowrey and was seconded
by half a dozen or more men In the
great audience that had listened I'm
tently TO the arguments and delinea-
ton OF facts presented during the Sun
day evening meeting.
The resolution adopted last night
came as an answer to the pertinent
question repeatedly presented by the
next TO last speaker of the evening,
Wallace r. Harrington. who had spOk.
an from the standpoint OF the average
man OF the community" His question
had been direct one and the reply
was direct answer In words that
can be strengthened only by actions
OF those who gave expression to the
resolution when committee hearings
come.
meeting Marks Awakening
n Perhaps the most remarkable fea.
s<fre OF the Sunday night mass meet
ing was the fact that an audience Of
men and women, Of thinking men and
women deeply interested in the bet.
tering OF moral and physical condi-
lions and not mere morbid curiosity
seekers or 'long-haired cranks," which
filled the Opera House to overflow
ing could be brought together to listen
TO q discussion OF topic that was so
recently tabu. Ten years ago. five
years ago such a gathering would have
been impossible anywhere in the
United States. but Sunday night II
was taken as matter Of course. II
marked the awakening OF public sen.
ument. Il marked the new era when
prndery has been pushed aside by the
necessity Of making clear the dire re-
suits that must inevitably follow sin.
Law 10 Need Of Today
IL was made clear at the meeting
that there is and can be no greater
weapon for use at the present time In
the battle against commercialized
Vice and the growth of the social eyfl
than an abatement By injunction law.
II may be that In time, when youth
has been properly educated to the
danger arising from social vice. the
almost inyariable punishment that
must follow indulgence In IL, such
a law will not be necessary. but pres
ont needs were plainly set forth. I'm
dou0tedly parents went home deter.
nhned that their boys should not
come to manhood IN ignorance of the
dangers that awaited them, their
wives-to-be and their children unborn.
But they were equally convinced that
until years OF education have passed
the abatement by injunction is essen
tial to check vice and mitigate present
day dangers.
Segregation Has Failed
After Judge Sanford B. Dole had
called the meeting to order former
Governor w. r. Frear spoke OF the
abatement by injunction law as a
remedy for present day vice condi
tons. He told OF the two methods of
control and attempts TO prevent, OF
the former belief that segregation was
the answer. that In all such plans IL
was the woman on whom the burden
had fallen, OF the breakdown of the
theory that segregation checked vice,
prevented the spread OF disease or
was IN any way solution Of the prob
lem and OF how the abatement by in
junction law was the hyw remedy the
efficacy Of which was being daily
proved. BY Il those who lived direct
ly or indirectly from the shame OF
womanhood were reached and not the
unfortunate women alone.
Next DR.. W. G. Hobby told Of the
medical aspect Of the vice situation.
He said at the outset that his was an
unpleasant task to speak on such a
subject but he went into Il bravely
and without hesitation or delay.
physician Startles Hearers
DIR. Hobby gave startling figures
He showed that segregation meant
only registration placing Of prostitutes
20 an extent in definite locations and
a medical examination which was a
farce and was meaningless. That an
examination and certificate today
meant nothing tomorrow, that only
about one woman in six or seven was
segregated, that the police knew
nothing Of the rest and OF the per-
eentRge of prevalence OF social dis
eases among the segregated women
Perhaps most startling were the fig
ures he gave as to percentage Of dis !
eased men In the United States, the
percentage OF major operations arising
from disease innocently acquired and
|. the touching picture of the army OF
abe blind that Is brought into the
world to suffer. His was a forcible ar.
gument and one delivered plainly,
bl0ntly. clearly. with equal forcible-
ness.
Medical Inspection Defended
Following DR.. Hobby, DR.. F. II.
Schurmann spoke in favor Of medical
supervision and for control OF vice. He i
explained at the outset that he was not
defending vice but was speaking from
the medical aspect and In favor Of TAX
ing every possible precaution. On
this point, however. be merely brought
out the point that there was smaller
percentage OF disease among the medi- |