The Washington times., 1906-05-26

The suppression Of agencies Of evil,
masquerading as legitimate employment
agencies. and throwing into dlsrepute
the mary respectable and honorable
persons engaged IN that business in the
District, which have been brought 10
light through an investigation made
here last January. IS the principal OBJ
1ect Of the bin on the subject reported
favorably from the House District Com
mittee yesterday by Representative Tay-
lor Of Ohio.
The Investigations made resulted IN
revelations that have shocked and ap-
palled those who have become acquaint-
ed with the facts. 1t showed that 30
per cent Of the concerns licensed as
employment agencies of the District gre
uing TO furnish girls and young women
for disorderly houses. and that almost
all of this % per cent are actually and
hagrantly. without apparent sense OF
guilt or fear Of punishn ent, engaged IN
this business.
The picture IS not all black, for many
agencies were found IN which the pro
prietors were doing business honestly
and decently. Their faults, If any, wero
faults Of carelessuess and omission, not
Of deliberate and shocking depravity.
methods and lack Of proper supervision.
Many OF the employment agents were
patiently honest and honorable.
The investigation OF the employment
agencies was made by a trained investi-
gator, on behalf OF the Public Educa-
ton Association and the IntermunicIpal
League. 1t revealed condition Of af-
fairs hideOus IN it's atrocfty. Some Of
the agencies informed the investigator
that they furnished girls for disorderly
houses by the year. making an annual
contract for $50.
Some Baneful Results.
The investigator whose labors have re-
suited in these revelations was AIRS.
Lydia Dent, of New York. She came TO
Washington at the request OF the Public
Education Association. the president OF
which IS Mrs. John VI. Gitterman. The
members of this association had reason
to suspect that employment agencies
were not conducted IN accord with mod
ern principles. and that they frequently
resulted in furnishing employers with
servants, unreliable, immoral. and in
efficient.
Because servants are IN many cases
Entrusted with the care Of the Children
IN the families in which they are en-
ployeds the association felt a keen in
vance and broaden their knowledge its
officers secured the services of Mrs.
Dent They had not suspected perfec-
ton. or anythino approaching It. but 1t
Is safe TO say that the actual results
OF Mrs. Dents Investigations inspired
them with a degree Of loathlng and
horror approaching that the publication
OF the facts must produce upon the pub
lie mind.
Mrs. Dent was not a novice at this
work. She had made similar investiga-
lions In New York, Philadelphia, and
other cities. She knew what She was
about.
In some places she appeared IN the
Character Of an employer seeking SER
wants; in others in the gulse OF a SER
want seeking employment. She assumed
the characters and asked the Questions
that brought the facts she was seeking
20 elicit. The general result was a re.
markable marshalinR of the facks as TO
the employment agencies of the district
Of the entire number Of employment
agencies investigated, the proprietors of
~ per cent either declared they made 1t
q regular business 10 furnish girls for
cisorderly houses, or expressed a per
fect willingness to do so. Those who ad-