The Key West citizen., 1952-11-18
Red Lights And Reds Cause
Headache For English Town
By PHILIP CLARKE

bY PHILIP CLARKE
OXFORD, England R - British
Reds and red light ladies are cash
ing in on one of the biggest booms
to hit Oxford in centuries-S,OO0
American airmen.
Scores Of prostitutes have trooped
into this ancient cultural city to
grab easy money from free-spend-
ing Yanks on leave from the three
big U. S. air bases nearby.
And a few unpleasant incidents
involving Americans and Britons
have provided big headlines for
the sensational press and fresh
propaganda for the Communists
"Yank 60 home" campaign.
Both U. S. Air Force officials
and Oxford city authorities do not
believe the situation has reached
the serious stage yet. But both
are anxious to do something about
It.
Maj. Gen. Francis H. Griswold,
commanding general of the Third
Air Force in Britain, this week
began q series of flying visits to
all nine major American bases in
England to lecture the $1,000 air
men on good behavior.
The three bases in the Oxford
area-Upper Heyford, Rrize Norton
and Fairford-are on the generals
itinerary.
The Air Force also has begun
ere indoctrination" courses on
friendly Anglo-American relations.
The Air Force action followed
a report by a private British-Amer-
lean group which said there is ''bad
feeling" between American airmen
In Britain and the British public.
Eoth the Air Force and Oxford
city authorities insist thai the
5000 American airmen in this area
have behaved as well as can be
expected. They agree the real prob
lem is prostitution.
A weekend visitor to Oxford
finds American airmen by the
hundreds crowding the city's main
streets, cinemas, restaurants, bars
and dancehaIIs.
So do the girls--many hardened
prostitutes from out Of town, others
local girls out for good time.
Scores Of the girls are in their
early teens. To Americans out for
a good time, it's easy to get
girl.
Often, there's a bit of free and
easy necking under a street lamp
or in doorway. This shocks some
Of 0xford's older citizens.
Gangs of young toughs, or
"Snivs," many dressed in Ameri-
can-style ''zoot' suits, sometimes
roam the streets looking for
trouble.
Gasionally, there's barroom
fight, quarrel over a girl or
q drunken argument involving
Americans and Britons, but most
Of these are Of minor nature.
To Oxford's small but. active
Communist cell, it's open season
for stirring up anti-American feel
In among local British inhabi.
tants.
I'rnie Keeling, veteran Commu-
mist party organizer for the outh
Midland district of England, har.
angues workers at 0xford's big
motor works and steel plant. He
says, ''The Yanks have turned Ok
ford into a city of shame"
Some Of the workers listen. But
the majority Of Oxford citizens
don't blame the Americans so
much.
They know that Oxford has al
ways had Its seamy side, even in
Edwardian days.
And the Americans are not
blamed directly for the fact that
oxford's rate of illegitimate births
last year was seven out Of every
100 babies. nearly double the ma
tional average. The rate has grown
since 1850.
City Alderman e. w. B. Gill,
bursar of 0xford's Merton College,
told reporter: Its no use saying
las some people do--that Amer
ican servicemen are TO blame,
Half the trouble is these confound-
ed girls"
A woman welfare officer said:
II think the girls are mostly to
blame. and in some cases their
mothers encourage them. The
Mothers can't forget that during
the war many English girls got
good American husbands"
But she thinks part of the trouble
is that so many Of these young
American visitors are mothers
dariings. Americans spoil their
boys, and when they are left on
their own in q strange country, they
take naturally to 'womanixing.
Most authorities believe a better
solution to the problem can be
found In organizing more and bet.
ter recreation facilities for the air.
men off duty.