United States.—The system is the same as in England; that is to say, there are no licensed houses or registration and periodical examination of prostitutes. The Federal Government has adhered to the convention of 1904, but not to those of 1910 and 1921, owing to the fact that the several States have their own laws in relation to prostitution. The Attorney-General of the United States is charged under the law of 1910 with the prosecution of cases of international and inter-State traffic in women and girls. The severe immigration law of 1917, which prohibits the importa tion of aliens for prostitution makes it difficult to pass; but there is no interference with emigrants on this account.
France.—French law has been considerably affected by the conventions of 1904, 1910 and 1921, France having signed and ratified the first two and adhered to the last. The criminal law takes no cognizance of prostitution, but the police have power to regulate it, in Paris under the prefect of police, elsewhere under that of the mayor. Brothels are licensed in two categories—(1) maisons de tolerance (residential), (2) maisons de passe or de rendezvous (houses of call) ; the keeper of the former must be a woman who is the owner of the premises or has a registered lease. Only women of 21 and of French nationality are allowed to re side; the inmates are medically inspected every week, while other registered prostitutes are examined fortnightly. Registration is either voluntary or compulsory after repeated arrests. There are in Paris about 235 licensed houses, of which 3o are maisons de tolerance; the number of inmates is about 2,100 and it remains pretty constant. Girls under 18 are not registered, but are dealt with under Articles 27o and 271 of the penal code, as amended by the law of 1921, under which they are brought before the juvenile court and subjected to reforming measures. The regis tered prostitutes form only a small proportion of the total num ber. Procuration is an offence recognized by the penal code, which has been strengthened by a law passed in 1922. France appears to be the headquarters of the outgoing traffic in women and girls, especially to Cuba, Mexico, Panama and the South American re publics. The incoming traffic is comparatively small. In 1924 the official returns of the registered prostitutes showed a total of 583, of whom 223 were Italians and 146 Belgians.
Germany.—Prostitution is not forbidden, but under article 361 of the penal code women are liable to arrest for practising prostitution without being under police control or for contra vening regulations after being placed under control. The regula
tions include weekly or fortnightly medical examination, to gether with strict rules in regard to public demeanour and condi tions of life. There are in Berlin about 6,000 registered prosti tutes, and 2,200 in Hamburg; and these are reckoned at one third of the total number. Procuration is prohibited, under the name of Kuppelei, by article 18o of the penal code, which was strengthened in 1927 by a provision of the law for combating venereal disease, which explicitly names the conducting of a brothel or of a business akin to that of a brothel as included in procuration. Nevertheless most large towns, except Berlin, still have them. There is (I) ordinary Kuppelei, which is simply as sisting procuration for gain and (2) aggravated Kuppelei, which includes false pretences and procuration by parents, guardians, teachers, etc., and entails a much more severe penalty. With re gard to the international traffic the German Government states that Germany is not at present a country of destination, but only one of transit. Foreign women, when arrested for prostitution, are expelled ; eight such women were deported from Berlin in 1924 and 21 procurers. The outgoing traffic is much the same as before the war, but attempts are being made to prevent it in ac cordance with the international conventions, to all of which Ger many is a party. A law passed in 1923 requires that all agencies providing employment abroad must be licensed and supervised, and another, passed in 1924, provides further protection for girls under 18 by requiring the consent of the juvenile court.
Italy.—Af ter a fluctuating policy Italy has adopted the French system. Under the law of 1926 prostitution is regulated, and all inscribed women must submit to medical examination. In io cities there were 324 licensed houses in 1924. Strict conditions are laid down in the law of 1926. Procuration is an offence under the penal code, which was strengthened in 1923. With regard to the traffic, the law governing the outgoing traffic was made more stringent in 1919, but there appears to be considerable evasion of the passport regulations. The incoming traffic shows an increase. Out of 11,924 prostitutes interrogated in 15 months of 1923-24, 782 were found to be of foreign nationality. During 1925 that number had risen to 865, most of whom were Austrians and French.