by the aid of alcoholic orgies
that most girls are seduced, and by chronic drunkenness that they
sustain themselves in their degradation.

=Localized Prostitution.=--In certain towns, Hamburg for instance, an
attempt has been made to establish an organization intermediate
between the brothel and private prostitution, by compelling all
prostitutes to inhabit certain special streets which are reserved for
them, at the same time being inscribed by the police. The result has
been deplorable, and these streets have become uninhabitable. It must
be borne in mind that the owners or managers of these houses become
from this fact more or less analogous to proxenets. Whoever lets his
house for such an object must possess very little sentiment of modesty
and duty, for he lives indirectly on the produce of prostitution.

=Clandestine Brothels.=--Besides the official brothels, of which we
have spoken, there are a number of secret organizations of all kinds,
which the State is the less able to prevent as it organizes and
tolerates prostitution and proxenetism on its own account. A number of
taverns possess secret chambers which are only small brothels, in
which the servants act at the same time as prostitutes.

It is the same with many small shops (gloves, perfumes, etc.), whose
innocent appearance only serves as a blind. A number of _cafes
chantants_ are also connected with prostitution and proxenetism.
Certain tobacco shops, etc., sell obscene objects such as pornographic
pictures. All these things act especially on youth and become
disseminated in colleges.

=The Number of Prostitutes.=--The number of prostitutes has been
estimated at 30,000 in Berlin, 40,000 in Paris, and 60,000 in London.
It can hardly be assumed that all these women have a pathological
heredity. As soon as the State recognizes the right of existence of
this dung-heap, by its toleration and organization, corruption
hitherto hidden and ashamed raises its head and becomes more and more
bold, even dragging public organs into its sink. It is the public
especially, but also the authorities and the doctors who become
corrupted by contact with official proxenetism, which confuses the
ideas of morality in every one's head (vide _La Maison Tellier_, de
Maupassant). They shut their eyes to the haunts of vice. The proxenets
feel that they are important personages, and the more enterprising of
them very often enjoy secret favors and receive visits from State
officials