Less Vulgarity

Sensitive folk were just as well pleased when the League of Nations suppressed much of its white slavery report covering Western countries (TIME, Dec. 19. 1927). Last week in Geneva China's League Delegate and onetime Premier, Dr. V. K. Wellington Koo, voiced "Chinese appreciation" when the League published in full its 529-page report on Eastern prostitution.

The John D. Rockefellers paid $125,000 for the League's report through their Bureau of Social Hygiene, Inc. Since he hails from the U. S., Chief League Investigator Bascom Johnson was happy to report that U. S. white slaves, who were very numerous in the Far East 20 years ago, have almost disappeared, having been "rescued" and crowded out by White Russian refugees.

Filipino women, Investigator Johnson was able to report, scarcely figure in the "international traffic" and conditions in their islands are "comparatively good."

In the Middle and Far East there is, the Commission found, a notable absence of that "vulgarity" common in brothels of the West.* Most Asiatics prefer to hire women of their own race. Solemnly the Commission postulates and advises that: 1) The principal factor in promotion of the international traffic in women in the East is the brothel. 2) The most effective remedy is abolition of the licensed brothel. 3) The most serious problem, so far as Occidental victims are concerned, is provided by the Russian women refugees in Manchuria and Northern China. 4) A large majority of Chinese prostitutes enter the profession through the influence of their parents or guardians.

* In his Travel Diary of a Philosopher Count Hermann Keyserling records that in Japanese brothels "an atmosphere of harmless cheerfulness prevails . . . just as, in Europe, among children round the Christmas tree."

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