Page:Edward Prime-Stevenson - The Intersexes.djvu/241

, Austria-Hungary and Scandinavia, occurs in the way of every-day homosexual relations between officers and their soldiers in the ranks. This is far from being uncommon. in spite of what would seem to be strong reasons of refinement, personal dignity, prudence, or discipline. Young recruits, as orderlies and otherwise, are discreetly brought, now by money, now by terrorizing, and often enough by tastes, to accepting such sexual relations with either their immediately superiour officers or with remoter ones. Scandals, blackmailing and so on, do not often take shape in consequence, even when there would seem to be so dangerously strong a personal leverage for the soldier to use against his superiours. In fact, a variety of sentiments can restrain him from that line of conduct. Often a passionate affection matures, so that the last thing in a lad's heart would be to betray either his superiour or himself. Young recruits are diplomatically "broken in" to this sort of harness, and often come to accept it as part of their duty. It is sometimes made worth their while. Little saturnalia are held, to which the most discreet are invited; such as those lately sketched in course of the testimony at the Eulenburg Trial. Stettin, Stralsund and some other garrisons have had scandalous explosions of this colouring within the past year; but the majority of regimental amours of so venal and undignified a type do not become known to the uninitiated.



An appendage to military prostitution in Continental Europe is the class of more or less ill-paid, minor Government officials, employed in one or another Civil-Service Department. Such young men are in railway, postal, financial, and like routine capacities, particularly in Germany, France, Austria, Spain and Italy. The young man is not salaried enough to live as he wishes. His tasks are monotonous. He cannot gratify his