EFFECTS OF IMMORAL LIFE
Some time ago, the general public was shocked by a newspaper story of
the life led by many girl clerks in the department stores of a large
city. It seems a young girl from the country applied for a position in
one of the stores, but upon hearing of the small wages paid, said, "How
can I live on that? It would not provide even the most meager of board
and the smallest room." The employer asked in reply, "But have you not a
gentleman friend?" That reply, repeated to a social worker, started an
investigation which resulted in startling revelations. It was found that
many of the stores paid such small salaries that to live on them at all
was an impossibility for even the most economical. It was an understood
fact that each girl was expected to receive help from some "gentleman
friend."
There must be something wrong in our whole system of living when girls
are compelled to work for salaries insufficient for even the necessities
and are taught to have tastes and desires for the beautiful which it is
impossible to gratify on their meager salaries. A young girl goes to
work in an office or store with a definite, if not expressed,
understanding of what should be the proper relations of the sexes. After
she has been at work a short time she notices that her companions are
much better dressed than it is possible for her to be with the resources
at her command. She notices that her friends have numerous invitations
to theatres and dinners. She wonders if she is less attractive than
they. After awhile she receives hints, more or less broad, from her male
associates. Gradually it dawns upon her why the other girls are more
attractive than she.
One who has not been thrown in close contact with the girls of this age
cannot realize the extent of the immorality among them. Formerly it was
considered that only boys sowed their wild oats. Now we find that many
girls do so also. We hear very little about it except for the occasional
case of one who has to suffer for her sins. Usually this one is one of
the most innocent. Many of the girls of this generation are "wise."
They think they know how to "keep out of trouble," and yet reap the
rewards in the shape of a few dollars.
Girls cannot afford to take the great risks incident to leading an
immoral life, aside from all moral reasons for not doing so. In the
first place there is the danger of becoming pregnant. Think what that
means! The majority of girls are led to take the first step by promises
of marriage. Real life has proved these promises seldom are kept. The
man "changes" his mind after the mis-step has been taken. He goes away
and forgets, the girl is left to bear the consequences of their mutual
sin. The men of the world like to take these girls out and enjoy
themselves but when it comes to marriage--the man wants a different kind
of a wife. There are three courses from which such an unfortunate girl
may choose. One course is an abortion with all its attendant dangers,
its risks to her life and the thoughts of having taken a life. Another
is to brave the world, bear her child and keep it. It takes a great deal
of courage to do this with our present social system. Often it is
impossible, as the girl is unable to care for the child and at the same
time support it and herself. She seldom finds very much encouragement in
this course. Those who should be her friends and aid her to make the
most of her life are now the ones who keep her down. They refuse to make
it possible for her to earn an honest living and lead a moral life. The
third course is to place herself under the care of a responsible
physician, live in seclusion for the last few months of her pregnancy,
then, after the birth of her baby, have it adopted. Considering
everything, this often is the best course. From the child's standpoint,
it is given a better start in life. It is much better to live as the
adopted, but honored, child in a home than it is to have to bear the
stigma of illegitimacy. As soon as the child enters school the latter
will become known among its playmates and will be the subject of many
cruel taunts. It is not fair to the innocent child to give it such a
heritage. But think how the mothers must feel to have to give up their
babies! That is the saddest part of the case. It is not fair that the
girl should be punished the remainder of her life for one mis-step when
the man goes absolutely free and without the sign of a stigma attached
to him.
These cases of unfortunate girls are all too common. The rescue homes in
the large cities are full, and often a large percentage of their
occupants are from the country. Within the last week, I have received
letters from four girls, similar to the one I shall read you. This
letter is from a girl in Indiana who gives a rural delivery address. "In
one of your articles in ---- you speak of homes where unfortunate girls
are sheltered and taken care of and I should like to know if there is
such a home in Indianapolis. If there is, will you kindly give me the
street and number. I am in trouble and have nowhere to go, but knowing
you to be a friend to unfortunate girls who met their misfortune through
ignorance and with no desire to do wrong, I write you for advice." This,
as well as numerous other letters, show that these things are just as
prevalent in the country districts as in the cities.
So many girls do not realize how easy it is to "get into trouble." A
short time ago I had a confinement case that was a little unusual; for
the young woman, who was unmarried, had an unruptured hymen, which
contained only one small opening barely large enough to insert a sound
the size of a slate pencil. At the first consultation several months
previous, when she had come to me on account of absence of menstruation
for three months, the girl had insisted that there was no possibility of
her being pregnant. Later she admitted that four months previously, just
after she menstruated, she was out with a young man who was very
insistent, that she did not consent, but in spite of her resistance
there was a discharge thrown against the labia (external organs). At the
time of this first examination she was about four months pregnant and
had not supposed such a condition of affairs possible. Fortunately in
this case there was an early marriage.
Another grave danger to the girl who indulges in immoral practices is
the possibility of contracting one of the black plagues. You know what
that would mean. If you recall the prevalence of these diseases you will
see that the probabilities are that any girl indulging in immoral
relations will sooner or later contract one of these diseases. Indeed
she runs a big risk of contracting one at her first mis-step.
After one has taken the first mis-step it is very easy to take the next.
One step often leads to another until the girl succumbs to a life of
prostitution. A result of prostitution that is important is the
unfitting for regular life. Whatever the effect of such a life may be
upon a man, a girl cannot lead such a life with impunity. Many a girl
tires of her immoral life and gladly would turn to something else but
the difficulties in her way are numerous. One is her inability to obtain
a position when it is known that she has led an immoral life. Another is
that she finds the duties and regular hours incident to any position
very irksome. The irregular life she has led has unfitted her for a
regular life. There seems to have been a general disturbance of the
whole nervous system, her will has become so weakened that it is very
hard for her to have the will power necessary to keep from returning to
the old life. This breaking of the will power also makes it difficult
for her to keep her mind on her work. Then, too, she resents any
supervision of her work. Of course, the longer the irregular life has
continued the harder it is to break away from it.
Now, from another standpoint! No matter how dissipated a man may be he
wants his bride to be pure. Nearly all girls expect to marry sometime,
and so for the sake of the future--in order to keep the confidence of
her husband as well as for the sake of not taking any risks that might
prevent future motherhood, girls should not lead immoral lives.