Yoshiwara Democratized

The Tokyo Brothel-Keepers Association, "moved," they said, "by a spirit of democracy," recently freed their girls from the traditional system of indentured servitude, which had long been the basis of the famed Yoshiwara district. Last week General MacArthur, in the name of "the fundamental human rights," made it an order.

No longer would girls be sold to the whoremasters by impoverished parents and be bound to work until they could buy their way out with a niggardly share of their earnings. (Sales by husbands and sweethearts were banned in 1940.) Henceforth "Double-Blossomed Plum" and her many sisters would be in business for themselves. General MacArthur got full credit from the girls. "He's almost doubled my earning power," confided one.

The emancipated girls were in no hurry to leave the Yoshiwara. Said one resident: "With the terrible housing shortage we'd rather stay here." Only nine out of 310 prewar brothels, with their yellow balconies and pink window shades, had survived the B-29s. But shacks were being built with record speed. Business was booming, with about half the customers Americans.

One of the brothel keepers commented: "The girls can now say no if they want to." But under the new, better paid arrangement, girls were not saying no.

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