Contagious Disease Laws.
By Editor
Any number of men promiscuously gathered from various callings and conditions of life, as in the armies of the world, always includes many of the vicious, libidinous, and licentious class, whose greatest pleasure is the gratification of the baser passions. To meet this evil demand there are always to be found women of the demi-monde who follow the army. “To preserve the health of the soldiers,” this unhealthful, vicious, and damnable intercourse has been considered necessary by most governments, and to protect the soldiers from contagious disease, compulsory and stated examination has been made of all suspected women. This is not the place to show the viciousness, the devilishness of the whole scheme from beginning to end. Suffice to say, under these parliamentary “Contagious Diseases Acts” innocent women have been humiliated, corrupted, and ruined, through the insinuation and instigation of some lustful brute who desired them as victims. Under the earnest and superhuman efforts (for God helped, we believe) of Mrs. Josephine Butler, of England, and Miss Katherine Bushnell and Mrs. Elizabeth Andrew, of America, the Contagious Diseases Acts of England, despite strenuous opposition, were repealed, and thousands of women poured forth songs of rejoicing. Of course this did not suit the opposition, and they have ever since been at work with renewed energy to secure their re-enaction in some form. It was supposed that the British Women’s Temperance Association stood unitedly upon this matter, but in the beginning of 1897, Lady Henry Somerset, the president of that body, proposed to Lord George Hamilton, secretary of state for India, what she termed a “righteous compromise.” This “righteous compromise” has been shown by the ladies above mentioned to be most unrighteous, most degrading. Before us lies a protest from members of the British Women’s Temperance Association against the action of Lady Henry Somerset. It was because of Lady Somerset’s position that Mrs. Butler offered her resignation at the last W. C. T. U. World’s Convention at Toronto, and, sorry to say, it was accepted. Unless Mrs. Butler could be supported, she preferred to resign. The election of officers of the British Women’s Temperance Association takes place this month, May. It will be interesting to see whether Lady Somerset will be re-elected. However, it has been reported that she has acknowledged that her “righteous compromise” was a mistake. We earnestly hope that this is true. It is sad indeed to see women of so much influence over others casting their influence on the wrong side. But whether Lady Henry Somerset has seen the evil of the “righteous compromise” or not, we truly hope that every British woman who loves liberty will support by every laudable way and by every right use of her talents and ability the noble efforts, under God, of Mrs. Butler, Miss Bushnell, and Mrs. Andrew. Those who desire to learn further concerning this matter may write to Mrs. Josephine E. Butler, Federation Office, 17 Tothill Street, Westminster, London, England; or, Mrs. Louisa Gledstone, 63 Upper Tulse Hill, London, S. W., England. Mrs. Butler’s pamphlet, “Truth before Everything,” costs 5 cents. Since writing the above we see it authoritatively stated that Lady Somerset withdrew from her position on the “righteous compromise,” and that she has been re-elected president of the B. W. T. A.