lly
those who are united in "Bohemian life" by artistic or literary
interests. But while such sexually anarchistic women are not common in
America, there is reason for fearing that, unless some unexpected check
comes to this undercurrent towards sexual freedom, it may be found ten
or twenty years hence that a surprisingly large number, but _never a
majority_, of unmarried young women have fallen into the sexual
promiscuity that is so common among unmarried men of the same ages.

[Sidenote: Radical sex literature.]

Chief of the influences that lead a certain number of well-educated
young women towards sexual freedom is radical printed matter. We are
now getting in America a wide distribution of bold literature of the
"free love" type, some of it with a scientific superficiality that
will convince many beginners in the study of sexual problems. Much of
this literature is translation or adaptation of books and articles by
European authors; and I have previously remarked that abroad the ideals
of sexual morality--and judging from the Great War, of morality in
other lines--is frankly quite different from that upheld here. But some
of this radical literature is American in origin. In addition to
certain books and pamphlets, which might be advertised by giving names,
I think of two New York medical journals, with a popular circulation,
edited by a successful but much criticized physician, which rarely
publish an issue without frank approval and even arguments for
extra-marital relations other than prostitution, particularly for those
who for one reason or another, unwelcome or voluntary, are leading
celibate lives. The influence of such writings on young women who are
inclined towards radicalism in all things is probably enormous, and it
is unfortunate that vigorous opposition literature is not published and
widely circulated.

[Sidenote: Same instruction as for men.]

In conclusion, it is clear that the problem of pre-marital continence
is not limited to young men, for the "unprotected" girl from a
low-grade home and environment, and the uninformed girl from the best
of homes, and the radical girl from the most educated circles may,
innocently or deliberately, select the pathway to unchastity. For these
kinds of young women the educational problem is the same as for young
men. They should have essentially the same instruction. And, in the
case of both sexes, it is only by contrasting the good and evil that
education can