THE GREAT PROCREATION FETISH 187 



the other half, or a large proportion of it, became 

 afraid. A reign of terror was established. Who- 

 ever supported the Acts was denounced as an 

 advocate of impurity, and it was hinted that his 

 action was prompted by his own base ends. 

 Doubtless the accusers hugged themselves in the 

 belief that they also were champions of honour 

 and purity. To-day, when we have war, and 

 are confronted with the hate of half Europe, the 

 support of thousands of trained soldiers is lost 

 to us, and their places are filled with untrained 

 men. 



We pay a heavy price for our fetish. Let us 

 now count our gains. What thing of value have 

 we purchased at a price so enormous? Is England 

 any the purer for being honeycombed with disease ? 

 The simple fact is that it is as rare for an English- 

 man as for a foreigner to lead an absolutely 

 continent life between puberty and marriage. 

 Englishmen differ from foreigners only in that they 

 more often contract these diseases, and after 

 marriage communicate them to their hapless wives 

 and children. The great majority of English girls, 

 like other young women, lead lives of absolute 

 purity. Young men know much about these 

 diseases, for as I have said, very many young men 

 suffer from one or other of them ; young girls know 

 little or nothing. From this we may estimate the 



