The Washington herald., 1907-10-14
end SLAVE TRAFFIC
Crusade Against immortality
Begun by Straus.
STOP THE INVASION OF VICE
Secretary of Commerce and Labor
begins Systematic Movement 10
Prevent Importation OF Women and
Boys from Europe and the Orient.
Inspired by Hiss Bulls Report.

That the Federal authorities, working
in conjunction with the local police in
New York and other large cities through
out tFe country, intend to break up the
slave traffic in women and boys, is
vouched for by Oscar 5. Straus. Secretary
OF Commerce and Labor. and Frank p.
Sargent Commissioner General Of Immi
grafton.
Reports just placed In the hands Of the
officials here show that women are
being brought 10 the United States In
ever increasing numbers. from nearly
every European country. particularly
France, and from China and Japan. In
New York, for example, according 10 ad-
vices from Helen NJ Bulls, who was
appointed immigration inspector at Ellis
Island for the purpose of paying special
attention to the Illicit traffic in women.
some houses are supplied with young
girls from Paris,
Several dis0rderly places in the Greater
City, known 10 harbor women imported
for immoral purposes, are now under
surveillance. The important thing, in
Miss Bulls opinion. is not to deport the
unfortunate women. but 10 appTehend
and punish 20 the extreme limit OF the
law the men engaged in the traffic.
Straus Opens Crusade.
Secretary Straus is determined to put
an end, if possible, to the slave traffic
in women, and to break up the system
whereby hundreds of boys, most of them
Greeks, are held in number Of big cities
of the United States in a condition prac-
tically amounting TO bondage Under
Secretary Straus' direction, compreheu-
sive inquiry into this form of slavery
has been. in progress for many months.
The investigation is directly In charge
Of Alchibiades Seraphic, a Greek. recog-
nized as one Of the most competent in
spectors IN the immigration service. In
this case Greek has been pitted against
Greek with gratifying results to the
government Inspector Seraphic has
prosecuted his work in New York, Bos-
ton, Philadelphia, Chicago. ST Louis,
Kansas City, Indianapolis, and New Or
leans. His reports. il is understood, dis
close a startling state of affairs and in
a number of instances. based upon evil
dence collected by Seraphic, Greek pa
drones have been brought into the courts
and convicted of violations of the immi-
grafton laws. Other convictions in this
connection are expected To follow.
Roundup of Greek PadrOnes.
There is good reason TO believe that in
a comparatively short time disorderly
houses in New York and other cities VIII
be raided, the alien inmates taken into
custody, 10 be held as witnesses against
those responsible for their importation,
and afterward deported. About the same
time there viii be a roundup OF the
Greek padrOnes now under surveillance.
Miss Bulls was appointed a special in
spector at New York TO study the slave
traffic IN women in the city and at Ellis
Island, and she was authorized also 10
travel on immigrant steamers plying be-
tween New York and foreign ports. This
was done when Secretary Straus' stten-
ton was first directed to flagrant vio-
lations Of those provisions of the law
relating 10 women for immoral purposes.
Miss Bulls was given a temporary aD-
pointment, but the indications are that
she viii be permanently retained in the
immigration service.
On the Pacific Coast the practice of
bringing japanese and Chinese girls for
immoral purposes Is an old story Local
police authorities on the Coast have ap-
parently winked at the traffic but now
that the Federal government has become
awakened 10 the seriousness Of the situa-
ton 1t is the expectation that the police
of San Francisco. Seattle, and other Coast
cities viii cooperate 10 the end that the
immigration laws may be vigorously en-
forced.
Secretary Straus and Commissioner
General Sargent have issued instructions
TO immigration officers directing them to
arrest and depOrt alien women.
If Secretary Straus can break up the
traffic in immoral women ana BOYS
brought to the country TO serve in prac-
teal slavery, he VIII count it as one OF
the most important achievements of his
administration of the Department Of Com
mcrce and Labor.