Councilmen Tierney, O'Leary Favor Prostitution Referendum

Two Boston city council members seeking re-election next week announced support yesterday for a referendum on legalized prostitution.

Councilmen Joseph A. Tierney and Gerald F. O'Leary made the statements in response to a questionnaire from a citizen's group published yesterday.

"Sanctioned bordellos are what I'm talking about," O'Leary said, "but any such activity should be confined to an area like the combat zone and should not be allowed to spread over the city."

O'Leary said he would favor a prostitution proposal if it could restrict prostitution to a "red light district so other people can walk the streets without being accosted."

Tierney said the idea should be submitted to the people in a referendum so "the people of Boston can decide if they want it."

"We might be surprised" at the results of such a referendum, he added. Tierney said he personally does not favor prostitution.

"Sex is an important thing to me and when you go in and drop $10 or $20 it cheapens life," he said.

The announcement provided a sharp contrast to earlier positions by Tierney who is known for a strong stand against pornography.

Did All Right

"Some people may think I'm a nut for this," Tierney said, "but I'm happily married and when I was single I did all right."

Describing his personal feelings toward prostitution, O'Leary said, "As a Catholic, a Holy Cross graduate, and a father of five girls. I personally abhor prostitution and it is against all my personal values and beliefs."

Both councilmen are up for re-election on Tuesday when Boston holds its municipal elections. Other councilmen seeking re-election are Lawrence S. DiCara '62, Fred Langone, Albert D. O'Neill, Patrick McDonough and Christopher J. Ianella.

DiCara said last night that he does not favor the referendum because he feels questions of morality legislation should not be applied solely to Boston.