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Social Evils The Army Has
Challenged
by
Captain Danielle Strickland
A special JAC preview of soon to be re-published Salvation
Army classic: “Social Evils The Army Has Challenged”,
written by S. CARVOSSO GAUNTLETT (with up to date discussion
guides on the issues of today's fight for justice by Danielle
Strickland)
This is dedicated to the fight against human trafficking in
the DTES of Vancouver, Canada, which is hot enough to be
garnering national media attention these days. Go warriors.
CHAPTER IV IN JAPAN'S 'LICENSED QUARTERS'[1] THE challenge
next to be recorded resulted in one of the most remarkable
social victories in Salvation Army history. Its story takes us
to Japan, and is all the more notable because The Army-a
'foreign' organization, of course-had been established in the
country only five years. In 1900 the total number of
Salvationists in Japan was not more than a few hundred.
For nearly three centuries a system of licensed prostitution
had prevailed in Japan. Throughout two hundred and fifty years
girls could be openly sold to such a life for a fixed period;
then, in 1872, an Imperial Ordinance forbade the selling and
buying of girls[2] and, indeed, ordered the release of all
licensed prostitutes.
Unfortunately, few at that time understood the meaning of the
new law, and the change was formal rather than actual. Girls
were not bought; but loans were made to them-or, generally, to
their parents or friends-the girls agreeing to practise the
calling of a licensed prostitute in the house of the keeper
until his loan be repaid. The unscrupulous brothelkeepers saw
to it that in the accounts the cost of maintenance appeared
always larger than the income, so that the debt only
increased!
Brothels were situated together in what were called licensed
quarters, generally just outside a town. Often these were
surrounded by a high fence and had only one entrance. Tokyo
had five such quarters; the largest and best known was the
Yoshawara, with no fewer than 5,000 prostitutes.
It may be difficult for us to understand that no disgrace was
attached to the professional vice of many of these girls. At
times of famine, epidemic, earthquake and other disasters,
girls bartered themselves away in order to help their starving
family, a self-sacrifice which, in a land where filial
devotion is very strong, was regarded as meritorious and
deserving of respect.
Most of these girls had no idea to what they were condemning
themselves. They soon became disgusted with their 'calling,'
the conditions of which were terrible. Often, moreover, they
were underfed and brutally maltreated. A large number
contracted disease and had to undergo hospital treatment.
Yet, however much they might loathe their life or wish to
regain their freedom, they were bound until the accumulated
debt was paid. A police regulation prevented any girl from
leaving a licensed house without the signatures of the
brothelkeeper and the manager of the licensed quarter; if she
tried to escape, the police, who kept a register of the girls,
would arrest and punish her, and then return her to the
licensed house.
The turn of the century was to witness the doom of this
slavery. In the city of Nagoya an American Methodist
missionary, the Rev. U. G. Murphy, had become interested in
the terrible problem and had set himself carefully to study
the law of the land. In February, 1900, Murphy won his first
case-his three contentions being:
1. The plaintiff (the girl), having attained adult age (full
twenty years), could not be bound by any contract entered into
by her father while she was yet a minor.
2. Even though the contract be considered as binding on the
plaintiff, yet a person could not be deprived of liberty on
account of debt, for that would constitute slavery - and
Japanese law prohibited the purchase and sale of human beings.
3. The rule which until now had bound prostitutes to their
business must be considered null and void, as it was founded
on an immoral purpose, and the law regarded as null and void
any juridical act which was contrary to the public welfare and
good morals.
The Nagoya police, however, refused to carry out the court's
order that the brothel-keeper must sign and seal the girl's
'notice of cessation.' They declared that the police
regulation did not allow them to force a keeper to release a
girl, irrespective of her indebtedness.
It was well-known that the brothel-keepers and their depraved
and reckless men would stop at nothing to safeguard their
business interests. But Murphy defied the police ‘regulation’
and the brothel-keepers; he courageously took into his home
two girls who had escaped from the Nagoya licensed quarter.
Commissioner Henry Bullard, who had recently taken charge of
Salvation Army work in Japan, had repeatedly been asked by his
Officers whether The Salvation Army could not attack this
evil. Knowing, however, that Japan would be entering the
comity of nations before long - when all foreigners would come
under Japanese law - he insisted on postponing action until
that change had taken place.
At last the time came and, after conferring with Murphy and
others, Bullard decided that The Army should move.
The first consideration was the provision of a refuge and of
after-care for girls who might be freed from their horrible
serfdom. Without delay-in July, 1900-a Rescue Home was opened
in Tokyo. Its first Matron was Mrs. Captain Yamamuro,[3] who
later had seventy women under her care and in this difficult
work displayed notable understanding and fearlessness.
Then the victims of licensed prostitution must be informed
that The Salvation Army would help them if they so desired.
A special Rescue Number of Toki-no-Koe (The War Cry) was
issued. On the front page it had, in bold characters, the
operative clause of the 1872 Imperial Ordinance-rendered by
Gunpei Yamamuro into colloquial Japanese, which was different
from the official, classical language, and far better
understood by the common people. This special issue also dealt
with the evils of prostitution and declared God's power to
deliver from sin, as well as the Salvationists' willingness to
protect and aid all who wished to leave their degrading
calling Commissioner Bullard then summoned all Officers-some
fifty in all, Japanese and' foreigners '-to Tokyo, where he
met them in the Hall of the Kanda Corps. The veteran
Lieut.-Colonel Matilda Hatcher recalls vividly how the group
knelt in the little Hall around the pile of War Crys, while
their leader eXplained the situation and pointed out that
fierce opposition would follow the enterprise they were
planning. The whole of that night was spent by those men and
women in passionate prayer for courage and wisdom, and Divine
aid.
In the morning the dedicated band of Salvationists marched
behind the Army Flag from Kanda into the notorious Yoshawara
quarter, beating a drum and singing all the way. At the
various street corners they stopped to explain their purpose
and to distribute the Rescue Number of Toki-no-Koe to the
girls who came out to see' what was up.'
This invasion naturally caused great excitement. As soon as
the Salvationists' aim was understood, trouble began. They
were violently assaulted by men in the brothel-keepers' pay.
Their Flag was torn to shreds, the drum smashed. The valiant
invaders were badly injured, and escaped only with much
difficulty.
A party of Salvationists setting out from other Tokyo Corps
fared similarly on their expedition to another licensed
quarter.
When, a few days later, in response to a piteous appeal from a
sick girl, Bullard and a group of Salvationists again went to
the Y oshawara, they were escorted by more than fifty
policemen. As soon as they entered the licensed quarter, they
were surrounded by hundreds of rough men, armed with sticks
and worse. While the Commissioner demanded the girl's release
from the chief brothel-keeper, a menacing mob of several
thousand men gathered outside the office. The police, though
reinforced, could not deal with the situation and barely
managed to get the Salvationists out by an otherwise unused
exit.
Other Officers-including Charles Duce, Matilda Hatcher, Gunpei
Yamamuro and Kataro Yabuki-went far afield, even to places a
considerable distance from a railway line, and at great risk
to themselves secured the liberation of girls.
Bullard himself went to Kobe, whence a pathetic appeal had
reached him from a girl who was being cruelly maltreated. On
arrival he discovered that she had been removed to Kyoto;
there he was able, though with considerable difficulty and
danger, to free her. The girl was taken to the Tokyo Rescue
Home, later was converted and afterward married and settled
happily.
The very violence used against the Salvationists secured
valuable publicity for their crusade. The most important
newspapers gave full details of The Army's attack and of the
Rescue Home newly established, and quoted at length from the
Rescue Number of The War Cry.
Practically the whole of the Japanese press supported the
Salvationists' action and joined in their demand that any girl
who wished to leave the licensed quarters and return to normal
life should be free,to do so.[4]
For the first time in their history, Japanese newspapers
issued special editions-two, and even three, a day.
Their agitation made the expression' Free Cessation' a
national slogan. Both in the capital and in the provinces the
challenge became a chief subject of conversation and
discussion. The Japanese nation, it was said, had rarely, if
ever, been so stirred on a social question.
The movements and addresses of Commissioner Bullard and other
Officers, touring the country to explain to great crowds The
Army's social campaign, were fully reported in the press.
Girls who read the papers appealed to the editors, or directly
to The Army, to help them.
Early in September the whole staff of one newspaper went to
the Yoshawara to liberate a girl. Several of them were badly
beaten, but though the police still refused to release a girl
unless her notice of cessation was signed by the keeper they
succeeded in their mission. On the same day, Duce and Yamamuro,
on their return from an attempt to free a girl in the
provinces, were severely beaten and had to be escorted back by
forty policemen!
A few days later a regulation was issued to the effect that if
a keeper refused his signature, without adequate reason, the
police might liberate a girl without such a signature. Even
so, the determination of an 'adequate reason' was left to the
police, and many girls were not allowed to leave. However, a
large number gained their liberty.
That, of course, only served still further to enrage the
brothel-keepers and others whose earnings depended on this
vile traffic. A gang from one of the licensed quarters wrecked
the offices and machinery of two large Tokyo newspapers which
had specially supported The Army, and seriously injured
members of the staff. The licensed quarters were picketed to
keep out Salvationists and pressmen, and anyone who looked
like either of these was not safe! For nearly a year the homes
of leading Salvation Army Officers were guarded by special
police.
What was described as the 'reign of terror' in the licensed
quarters, and-despite all attempts to prevent it-the
departure of very many girls, kept away numerous well-to-do
'customers.'[5] During the month of September, 1900, the
number of visitors to prostitute quarters in Tokyo alone
decreased by 2,000 per night!
The Japanese Government was not slow in responding to the
nation-wide agitation. They took a course possible only in a
supreme emergency: on October 2, 1900, an Ordinance - prepared
by the Ministers of State and signed by the Emperor - was
issued with the full authority of law.
The Ordinance declared that any prostitute who wanted to be
freed need only go to the nearest police station and state her
wish. Her name must then at once be removed from the register
and, irrespective of any indebtedness to her keepers, she
would be free. Indeed, it was made a punishable offence for a
keeper or anyone employed by him to hinder any girl who wished
to leave.
The new regulation, moreover, made it more difficult for a
girl to become a licensed prostitute; no girl under sixteen
years of age was allowed to register as such. Of course,
keepers also became much more wary of advancing' loans'.
The Rescue Number of the Japanese War Cry had been issued on
August 1st, and within two months a victory surpassing their
utmost hopes rewarded the tiny band of Salvationists who had
so boldly challenged an entrenched evil. Japan had responded
very nobly to the challenge, but no wonder that the name of
Henry Bullard, together with that of Charles Duce, is among
those of half a dozen Europeans inscribed in a permanent
national record of benefactors of Japan.
During the first year alone, after this revolutionary event,
twelve thousand young women[6] abandoned their lives of
immorality. From one of the licensed quarters of Tokyo, by the
end of December, 1,100 out of 6,835 girls had forsaken their
evil calling. Thousands of homes throughout the land rejoiced
over the return of daughters who had been enslaved seemingly
beyond hope of deliverance.
The agitation had in some measure created a 'conscience' on
the whole question. Immorality was not by any means abolished,
but many men ceased to patronize the licensed quarters. A
number of houses had to be closed.
A group of influential Japanese gentlemen issued in the
columns of a national newspaper an appeal for funds in aid of
The Army's Rescue Work. There was evidence, moreover, that the
unexpected homecoming- of so many liberated girls opened many
doors for the Gospel, and not least for its proclamation by
Salvationists. No doubt the remarkable standing rapidly gained
by The Army in Japan may be attributed in no small measure to
this agitation.
The amazing triumph in 1900 was only the beginning of a
gradually extending work of rescue for women. Strange though
it may appear, the days of danger were by no means over
because the Ordinance had been issued, and this chapter of
Salvation Army history should include at least a reference to
a very valiant Japanese Officer who passed to his reward in
1923.
Fujio Itoh, in his youth, had been very pleasure-loving, but
his conscience was awakened when a friend, whom he had
introduced to vice, committed suicide with a prostitute. Itoh,
a skilled workman prominent in the Japanese labour movement,
was converted, became a Local Officer and, later, an Officer
in Kyu-Sei-Gun, as The Salvation Army is called in Japan.
From 1912 to 1923 he served as Rescue Officer at Tokyo
Headquarters and dealt individually with nearly 1,200 cases,
mostly licensed prostitutes. He helped nearly 1,000 of these
to give up their 'calling.' Scores of times he risked his
life. Near the police station, to which he took so many girls
for the final seal of their liberation, men often waited to
try to carry off the girls, or to injure the rescuer. They
would call at Headquarters or at Itoh's home; twice, at least,
Itoh was thrashed within an inch of his life and had to spend
weeks in hospital. The brothel-keepers even tried to bribe
him, sending coins or bank notes in boxes of sweets or cakes.
But neither to threats nor blandishments - nor to the
influence of association with girls accustomed to a different
type of man - did Itoh ever succumb. Hero and saint he
remained to the end, a Salvationist Samurai.
'The name of Adjutant Itoh,' Isowo Ake, the Japanese Christian
scholar and labour leader, has declared, 'will be permanently
recorded in the history of the abolition of licensed
prostitution.'
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[1] For the facts of this great story I
am indebted mainly to Commissioner Henry Bullard (promoted to
Glory in 1/9/45) and to Bufo and Tamiko Yamamuro, gifted son
and daughter of The Army's distinguished Japanese
Commissioner.
[2] The immediate cause of this Ordinance was peculiarly
interesting. A boat in Yokohama harbour was found to have on
board over two hundred Chinese who had discovered that they
were to be sold as slaves to work in mines in Peru. One of
them escaped to a British warship. The Japanese authorities
succeeded in setting the men free or sending them back to
China. Peru evidently raised objections, but the Russian
Tsar, who re-tried the case, supported Japan's action. Then,
however, Japan was accused of having, in her system of
prostitution, an institution worse than slavery I That
challenge sufficed to bring about the 'Voman's Emancipation
Law.
[3] Wife of Gunpei Yamamuro, who years afterward became leader
of The Salvation Army in Japan. Mrs. General Carpenter's Women
of the Flail contains an excellent sketch of Kiye Yamamuro
[4] Many individual Japanese expressed their admiration for
The Army's courage, faith and tactics, as did most Westerners;
e.g. the Anglican Bishop of North Japan-who, incidentally, had
confirmed Matilda Hatcher when she was fourteen-and the editor
and proprietor of the Japan Mail, who had Jived many years in
the country and was amazed at Builard's daring.
[5] A number of ordinary visitors, suspected of being
pressmen, were badly beaten by the pickets and refused
admission
[6] In 1898 there had been in Japan 50,553 licensed and some
80,000 unlicensed prostitutes, and 30,386 registered geishas
-- Danielle Strickland (Captain) SOCIAL JUSTICE DIRECTOR
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