The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-08-21
The Sub-Strata UnvaiIed.
GOOD WILL TO WOMEN.
HOPE FOR THE HOPELESS.
Not Charity. but Justice.

DUNG the past week some well-known
ladies in Washington, who are accustomed
to meet once week and take counsel to-
gether concerning the wants, the sufferings,
and the evils of our time, and to devise
practical measures for relieving them, de-
cided upon a campaign which required more
fearlessness TO plan and nerve to execute
than men have ever dared to show upon
this great moral question. They deter
mined to visit personally the leading mis-
tresses of the houses of ill-fame in WASH
ington, and asking for their advice and Coz
Operation in regard to the best manner of
protecting their interests, legally, financial
iy. socially, and morally. Fully convinced
that Justice never had been done these WOO
men, and that the only way to ascertain
their real condition, or to reclaim them,
was to recognize them as sisters, women to
be visited, to be conversed with, to be
treated with consideration and respect, they.
started out ON their tour early on Friday
morning. sig, IS
They visited fisrt fashionable establish
ment of this kind on Thirteenth street, and
asked by name for the lady of the house.
She soon appeared, bright, charming, witha
face and manner so sweet and womanly,
that one well might grieve that such a. wo-.
man is not an honored wife and mother in
Mrs. X.--We have wanted to see you q
long time, and have only delayed calling
from over work in other directions. There
is matter under discussion in which you
more than most women must be deeply in
terested. What shall be done with the So
cial evil? You have right to be heard on
this matter. We think we also, as wives
and mothers, have right to be heard. Per-
haps you may agree with us, when we have
talked the matter over. Your patrons are
always heard. Their voice is potential. -
We have an impression that perhaps they
don't represent you any better than they
do us. What would you personally like !?
Would you like to have your house licensed?
Nina 1--WE will call herr. certainly should.
The restaurants are licensed all over the
city, and we all know that gentlemen take
respectable girls and women to those places
every night, and after drinking glass or
two of wine, it is discovered that the res
taurant furnishes other accommodations
Now we don't do that kind of business.
Our house is respectable. of course we
ought toabe licensed. 70 .,4gn asi
Mrs. X.a But how will that protect you
patrons. but is it fair that all the shame
and degradation of that position should fall
upon YOU, while those for whom your house
is kept come and go, secure from observa.
fion, unregistered, unexamined, unsound
Nina. It is not fair. They ought to be
examined and registered.
Mrs. X. But men cannot see that. Don't
Won think there should be women on the
Board of Health and in the Legislature to
represent you and us in this matter ?
Nina. Yes, (doubtfullyD If they only
could be made to understand that our busi
ness ought to be protected, for the sake o
the wives and mothers, as well as our own
You know men must hare such places tC
visit. Every young woman in the country
would be seduced if such houses wer,
closed, and who would take care of poor
unfortunate girls as we do? If any Of oul
girls are sick, or in trouble, we take care o
them, and defend them, as their OWL
fathers and mothers never did. s,..,., (.
g Besides, what. would the world give Ii
to do il our houses were closed? I? W.
should be driven to the streets, and hov
much better for society would that be
NY boarders have no one to support them
and nearly all of them have families top pro
vide for. Most of them were brought III
ladies, unaccustomed to labor, and taush
TO depend upon men from their childhood
There is. very little they know'howsto do
and that little the world would not Civ
them.
Mrs. X. 4 know that labor for wome
is scarce, even if they have been trained t
work but would not gentlemen, generous
kind-hearted gentlemen, pay these poo
women as much for awhole days work
even if it were not well done, as they pa
for an hours enjoyment here?
Nina, (indignantly.) No! no! no ! Thei
is nothing else under heaven they are S
willing to pay for. A lady who came her
few DAYS ago travelled the city over, da
after day, until her feet were blistered an
her clothes worn out, asking only forworl
When there was nothing else left to do e>
cept to ,starvc with her children, she cam
to me. You can't know anything abol
how desperate such woman is until 20
have been there. But, gentlemen are gel
erous enough to her here, assure you. Ho
glad she would be to do anything else.
Mrs. X. How do you feel about itpersol
ally? Is it o love for the business or d
sire for profit hatinduces you to follow it
Nina. A desire to earn money. NothiI
else on earth. | don't believe there is
woman living who loves the business. Thin
what it is, never to be free from fear nev
to know at what hour Of the day or mig
we may be dragged to the police court, it
lowed by the rabble, hooting at us or ca
ing us vile names, betrayed, insulted. trie
Judged, and convicted by the very men WI
have made us what we are. How can "a
woman love the business?
Mrs. X. How is it with your girls
You haye given one case. What IS it III
generally induces them to come here ?
Nina. Well, a great many are seduc
when they are very young, and run aw
from home to get rid of their trouble. s4
course, there isn't any hope for the
Some young girls were brought here
Department clerks, who promised to mal
them. Ofcourse, they never do. II d
want to marry they can take Their choice
of respectable families. Then, as | Il
you, there are great many widows "
were not brought up TO work, and could
get it to do if they had been.
Mrs. Y. But we are told thatm v
men and girls actually choose this mode
life Of their own free will. You hay'