VI

WHY AMERICA CANNOT ADOPT THE OLD EUROPEAN

PLAN FOR DEALING WITH PROSTITUTION

For a long time any attempt to deal with prostitution in America has been met with the objection "they do it thus and so in Europe." Objectors based their arguments on the assumption that Europe, out of her long experience, had evolved a system of dealing with prostitution that was well-nigh perfect—one that America would do well to adopt or to be guided by in forming her policies.

Abraham Flexner, of the General Education Board, was chosen by the Bureau of Social Hygiene, of New York City, to make an investigation of European methods. He had no prejudices and was given no instructions, except to make a thorough and impartial examination of prostitution in Europe and to report his observations and conclusions to the Bureau. To this work he devoted almost two years.

Among the facts established by Mr. Flexner's findings is that the European policy of regulating prostitution is not successful in its operation. The first discovery that he made was that the regulatory system so highly advocated for America prevails in only a small part of Europe. He says:20

Time was when regulation prevailed through almost the whole of Europe. It has now [1913] died out in Great Britain, Holland, Denmark, Norway, and Switzerland, excepting only the city of Geneva. It cannot be said to be vigorous any longer even in a single one of the countries in which it still exists. The system is on its last legs in France, Belgium, Germany, Austria-Hungary, Sweden, and Italy. In only two towns, Hamburg and Budapest, do the municipal authorities as a whole any longer tenaciously cling to it. When we are told that regulation is practiced in Europe we may confidently reply that that system has died out in many countries and is moribund almost everywhere else. The second discovery was that it is practiced in no two places in the same way. Concerning this point, he says:

No two countries and no two cities still adhering to regulation practice it in the same way. Wide diversity prevails in respect to points of fundamental and essential importance. . . .If regulation operated successfully in any one place, every other city employing the system would copy the successful model. Regulation varies from place to place because it does not operate successfully anywhere. When, therefore, it is urged that regulation be adopted in America because it is used in Europe, I suggest that it be asked what form of regulation

20 Flexner, Abraham, “The Regulation of Prostitution in Europe." New York: American Social Hygiene Association, 1914, Pub. No. 7. For complete report see Prostitution in Europe, by Abraham Flexner. New York: Century Co., 1914. 455 pp.

VI

WHY AMERICA CANNOT ADOPT THE OLD EUROPEAN

PLAN FOR DEALING WITH PROSTITUTION

For a long time any attempt to deal with prostitution in America has been met with the objection "they do it thus and so in Europe." Objectors based their arguments on the assumption that Europe, out of her long experience, had evolved a system of dealing with prostitution that was well-nigh perfect-one that America would do well to adopt or to be guided by in forming her policies.

Abraham Flexner, of the General Education Board, was chosen by the Bureau of Social Hygiene, of New York City, to make an investigation of European methods. He had no prejudices and was given no instructions, except to make a thorough and impartial examination of prostitution in Europe and to report his observations and conclusions to the Bureau. To this work he devoted almost two years.

Among the facts established by Mr. Flexner's findings is that the European policy of regulating prostitution is not successful in its operation. The first discovery that he made was that the regulatory system so highly advocated for America prevails in only a small part of Europe. He says:20

Time was when regulation prevailed through almost the whole of Europe. It has now [1913] died out in Great Britain, Holland, Denmark, Norway, and Switzerland, excepting only the city of Geneva. It cannot be said to be vigorous any longer even in a single one of the countries in which it still exists. The system is on its last legs in France, Belgium, Germany, Austria-Hungary, Sweden, and Italy. In only two towns, Hamburg and Budapest, do the municipal authorities as a whole any longer tenaciously cling to it. When we are told that regulation is practiced in Europe we may confidently reply that that system has died out in many countries and is moribund almost everywhere else. The second discovery was that it is practiced in no two places in the same way. Concerning this point, he says:

No two countries and no two cities still adhering to regulation practice it in the same way. Wide diversity prevails in respect to points of fundamental and essential importance.. .If regulation operated successfully in any one place, every other city employing the system would copy the successful model. Regulation varies from place to place because it does not operate successfully anywhere. When, therefore, it is urged that regulation be adopted in America because it is used in Europe, I suggest that it be asked what form of regulation

20 Flexner, Abraham, “The Regulation of Prostitution in Europe." New York: American Social Hygiene Association, 1914, Pub. No. 7. For complete report see Prostitution in Europe, by Abraham Flexner. New York: Century Co., 1914. 455 pp.