The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1909-08-18
BOSTON NEEOS
A CLEANING Up
White Slave Trade Flourishes
Within a stones Throw of
Capitol

NHicaso, aug. 1S.-The cOmpla-
eency' OF Boston. and New England in
general in the belief that no barter
and sale of girls and women exists
there and that the white slave traf-
fic" is chiefly in the west gets a
grilling by Assistant States ATTORNEY
Cliford G. Roe in Chicago in the
Woman's World for September as a
result of Investigations made by Mr..
Roe, in Boston and other New Eng
land cities. Under the title, "'The
Boston Hypocrisy" Mr.. Roe declares
that the New England complacency
Is like the ostrich that hides her head
In the sand and thinks beacuse she
cannot see anyone, no one can see
her.
The Investigations of the conditions
which exist was undertaken because
the governors of Massachusetts, New
Hampshire and Maine Informed the
committee chosen by the Woman's
World to secure legislation against
the white slave traffic that they be-
lleved their states were exempt from
the monstrous systematized evil
which has been found to swallow up
some $4,000 girls each year in the
United States. Governor Prouty of
Vermont wrote the committee: eff
the people OF this state were con-
vinced that such traffic as you speak
OF was being carried on there would
be absolutely no question as to what
they would do regarding it. 1, per-
sonally, am not willing to believe that
girls are sold the way you seem to
think they are. II so. l have never
heard of 1t in this state"
Governor Draper of Massachusetts,,
when urged to secure new laws
directly aimed at white slavery wired
the committee: Revised laws of
Massachusetts chapter IL very string
ent In matter Of crimes against chas-
tfty, morality, decency and good or
der"
< Mr.. Roe has prosecuted scores of
white slave cases in Chicago and has
for two years warned the public, from
his official knowledge, that innocent
girls were being systematically hunt
ed. captured and sold to houses Of
prostitution. After a careful inquiry
Of several weeks in which he had
abundant assistance, Mr. Roe declares
both that the traffic exists flagrantly
under the shadow Of the Massachu-
oII1c SopASO1 nuU SLdL Iuo laws are
very inadequate.
Boston and other New England
cities have all the elements which
make traffic in girls quite certain" ;"
Mr.. Roe declares. "by going to the
bottom and getting information from
those who know the business from
the ground up. who live In it, and
work in it, some very reliable facts.
have been gathered. However, a walk
down Washington, fremont or Boyl-
ston streets in Boston at night from
say 8 until 10 o'clock. disclose the
first symptoms Of something wrong
which any visitor cannot help but see.
In Hayward place. one-half block
from Washington street, the main
shopping street of Boston, under the
very nose Of one Of the largest retail
stores are two places such as would
only be tolerated in the lowest red.
light district of any city. One has
but to pick up the telephone directory
and find the numbers there of at least
two hundred houses of illrepute. Chi
cago, ione Of the acknowledged CEN
ters Of vice, does not tolerate that,
nor can you find such places as the
Epicure. Dreyfus or Palm
Garden In the principal shopping dis
tricts Of Chicaxo One Of thu moat