The Nome nugget., 1942-09-09
KFTCHAN

KETCHIKAN - Combining a personal rehabta- ton program with vice cleanup, city officials on July 90 ordered prostitutes to leave town within three weeks but n cooperation with federal agencies offer ocaupatonal training in legal pursuits for those women desiring it Two women already have signed up and % others are considering offers for training in steno graphv beauty parlor work and other such positions officials said Those accepting will be sent to enroll m federal security agency classes in Seattle Prostitutes ir other cities will be made similar offers.
 The women had been living in Ketchikan notorious Creek Street bordellos, once rendezvous Ot Pacific Coast rum runners during prohibition days. The gov enment and Ketchkan city officials ordered the houses o III fame to close and dispose of their furnishings
 Alarming Increase
 The evacuation was ordered to curb alarming n- crease in incidence of cases of Venerea disease Ketch kan is believed to have been selected test case, and t is reported that the same procedure will even tuay be followed in all Alaska cities the entire Terri tory to be cleared of prostitutes.
 The three weeks grace period, it was explained by Juanita Johnston. city patrolwoman, is to give the time 10 straghten up their affairs, arrange for disposition of furnishings and make up their minds whether they wish to remain and turn to legal means Of making living accept training in Seattle for other professor under the rehabilitation program of t5e federal security agency, or leave town.
 Prostitutes are human beings We can stamp their diseases but can't stamp them out, therefore want to rehabitate them if possible We don't have the facilities here but in Seattle under the FSA program, they learn stenogfdpfic work beauty paTlor work any of dozens Ot professions, with one but themselves knowing of their past Miss Johnston said
 Tn that one week the clinic showed its worth. And is not to the discredit of the local doctors either They eooperated in its operation which permitted them to make ooproof examinations they were not able to make individually in their private offices.
 Why are closing Ketchkans 15 baWdy houses? We'll one answer to that question could be that if didn't. the federal government Would-and soon. But the truth of it is this: If their venerea diseases are sabotagng the manpower of the armed forces, they also are sabotaging the manpoWer of civilians the fishermen the loggers the mil-workers and other producers without whose support there would be no fighting forces.
 Our newly established clinic, with it's improved technique has disclosed that veneeal disease is pre- vaent in Ketchikan.
 U. s. Agencies Cooperate
 We are repressing prostitution in cooperation with the U. s. public health service Territorial health de- partment federal security agency and the army and navy Miss Johnston continued All agencies involv- Cd say prostitution in defense areas must go.
 And there's to fear that there will be any sudden outbreaks of criminal assaults after the houses of prostitution closed. Generally in every area where steps have been taken to wipe out prostitution there has been criticism because of fears of sex crimes