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CHINA AND THE WHITE SLAVE TRAFFIC 77
to the clean people among whom they settled.
It was said their breakdown was accelerated
or due to the Sigon climate, but that was a
lie. It was the pestilential disease that was
rampant in the East, with which many innocent
youths became inoculated by having
immoral relations with diseased women. The
authorities on the spot recognised the truth
of these matters.
The Governor-General, M. Doumier, a brave,
clean-living man, set to work to purify the
place. Now, the army is healthy, the citizens
are not plague-stricken, and soldiers are
not returned to Prance ruined and diseased.
But there are even yet danger-spots in Sigon.
There are the open continental caf6s, which
are being run on much the same lines as
the Hong-Kong cafes. These are now, I
understand, to be cleared out completely.
If this is done Sigon may well be proud of
her record of improvement. There is one
thing very sure, and that is the " pimp's "
occupation or trade in Sigon is gone.
As we shall mention Bangkok in this book,
and as Bangkok generally has a reputation it
does not deserve, it is only fair and just to
say that every reasonable effort is being now
made in Bangkok to bring under proper control
the licentious habits of the people. The
present King is a very enlightened and worthy
monarch. He was educated in England,
finished his educational career with honours
in the West, and lives up to his attainments.
He is a good man, and he ascended to the throne