Evening star., 1945-11-18
(See Editorial on Page ca

Editors note. Under ertension
OF remarks, the follo,0ing letter
DGs inserted in the Congressional
Record last Friday By Represent
ative Bu1ett, Republican, OF Ne
braska. The letter ,Das. tUritten
By Nary Chaplain Laurence L.
Lacour to the Des Moines (ioDd)
Register. Chaplain Laconr. a
member OF the Des Moines Meth
odist Conference, ,Dds the first
Navy chaplain in japan, landing
ahead OF Gen. Macarthur. Chap
lain Lacour,s letter is not pleas
ant reading. but The Star believes
it should be printed in the public
interest. The letter tollotos::
Since large percentage of the
Navy are. reserves, many of them
under 20: and we chaplains are en-
trusted with the moral and spiritual
welfare of these men, we believe the
American public should be informed
when conditions and policies exist
that jeopardize the morality and
faith of our servicemen.
LAS a policy OF venereal-disease
control, the Navy is permitting un-
restricted access, by all men on lib
erty In the Yokosuka area, to houses
Of prostitution where the venereal
incidence among the prostitutes is
considered 100 per cent.
The control is the prophylaxis ad-
ministered by naval corpsmen on
duty in the house.
Observed Situation at Start.
"Since September II, liberty
parties have been permitted ashore
in this area. Our ship was the
first to be granted liberty, and as we
are tied up IN the navy yard, have
been able to observe the situation
from the beginning.
"On September 2, the medical
officer in charge of venereal con-
troll told me that 1t would be his
policy to supervise the places of
prostitution by examining the pros
titutes by segregating those infected.
by insisting on cleanliness within
the houses, and by establishing ade-
quate numbers of prophylactic sta
tions throughout the town.
When liberty parties went ashore,
men gathered the impression that
the medical department had elimi-
mated all immediate danger. Mill
tary police and naval corpsmen in
formed the men in the lines in
front of the houses that everything
was medically inspected. AS a re-
suit many enlisted men and officers,
including a number from our ship,
had sexual contact without using
any prophylaxis.
Some Ships Instructed Men.
Prior to sending men ashore
some ships ran training films on
venereal disease, and announced
that high percentage of venereal
disease could be expected ip Japan.
On other ships. the commands re-
fused to do anything to discourage
promiscuity. and gave no warning
about expected venereal incidence
"On September IA 1t was disclosed
that out OF typical group of pros
titutes. 81 out of go had syphilis,
were not being treated, that there
would be no further examinations,
and that no policy of treatment or
segregation would be followed.
"Coincidental with Archbishop
Spellman's visit here, by September
l6 all red-light districts were de-
clared out of bounds. A group OF
us chaplains inspected the restricted
area after week Of suppression
We found that although the method
was not totally effective. the number
OF offenders that got into the re-
stricted area was small, as the geo.
graphic location of the area made
policing comparatively easy e~-sa
H Little Open. Violation. :
"It was not so easy to suppress ss
the free-lance prostitutes and the
smaller houses in the unrestricted
area. but there was little open vio-
lation. A man intent on sexual con-
tact could find it, but he had to exert
considerable effort and run the risk
of arrest. Men were treated as usual
at prophylactic stations with nc
great threat Of disciplinary action
and, during this period of suppress
sion, the number of treatments
ashore and af1oat decreased remark
ably.
AT meeting Of the feet medical
ofncers on September rs. 1t was pro-
posed that one large house be
opened, that it be operated with the
understanding that all the women
were diseased, and that = voluntary