The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1909-10-26
DIGEST Of ANTI
WHITE SLAVE LAWS
Book Will Serve to Aid Both
Lawyers and Laymen in
Prosecutions

Chicago, Oct. 26.-The announce
ment is made by the assistant United
States district attorney. Harry A.
Parkin. that the digest of the laws
OF every state which applies to the
white slave traffic and promises pun
lshment for men and women engaged
in the traffic has been completed and
will be included in book War on
the White Slave Trade" which soon
will be issued under the auspices of
the Woman's World Committee on
legislation by the Charles G. Thomp-
kins company of Chicago.
The summary preceding this digest,
says: The war for eXterminating
| the white slave traffic has progressed
so rapidly and has attained such enor-
nous proportions that it is not now
confined to one state or country, but
people from every state in the United
States. in Canada, England. and 9TH
er foreign countries. have taken up
the slogan and are vitally interested
IN assisting to curb the monstrous
traffic. Laws have been enacted in
several of the states during the past
session of their respective legislatur-
es. In other states new laws are
contemplated. Reports are received
by tho committee on legislation daily
which are indeed encouraging and
show the need of centralizting the
effort and assisting citizens OF the
different states who so frequently are
at loss to know exactly what to do
when a white slave comes within their
observation.
ITO meet this need and to further
the effort to secure proper legislation.
the committee has decided to publish
the following digest OF the laws OF ev-
cry state in the union. SO far as prac-
ticable, for distribution to those who
are interested in this warfare.
THE reader will find in these pages
all of the laws of each state in the
United States, SO far as obtainable.
which affect in any way, and which
may be used to throttle the white
slave traffic. There will also be
found simple directions to he follow
ed by the citizen who becomes
acquainted with white slave case
and who desires to have it properly
prosecuted. The digest has been
made as simple as possible in order
that every one, be he lawyer or lay
man. may be able to read and act un-
derstandingly."
Following an analysis of the pres
ent federal statutes that apply the
digest states: ut will thus be seen,
by comparing the act as originally
signed by the president and the act
as 1t now reads. after the decision of
the supreme court. that it is neces-
sary in every case to show that the
person who holds the alien had di-
rectly or indirectly imported the same
alien into the United States for i'm
moral purposes. In other words, the
to cases where they are able to prove
that the defendant imported the. girl
prior to the time she was found in his
house of prostitution. This will very
materially lessen the number of fed
eral prosecutions. as it is extremely
difficult in the vast majority of cases
to show that the person in whose
house the alien was found was in ev-
cry instance responsible for her i'm
portation. 1t is. to be hoped that
congress during its coming session
shall see fit to enact remedial legis-
lation which shall correct that clause
of the act declared unconstitutional.
or If this shall be found impossible.
to at least broaden the present scope
of section of the immigration act
so that 1t can be made more compre-
hensive and farreaching.
Another result of the action of the
supreme court is to emphasize the
great need for legislation by the res
pective states looking to laws which
shall minimize the placing of girls
in houses of prostitution within the
several states. and which shall pre-
vent the migration from one state to
another of women for immoral pur-
poses.
Prosecution for violation of the
federal laws rests with the United
States district attorney in the respec-
tive districts. The matter should be
brought to his attention and the evil