The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1909-12-16
PICTURE IS
PAINTED OF WHITE
SLAVERY TRAFFIC
Evil y Widespread, but Aliens,
It Is Declared, Are the
Chief Criminals.

Washington, Dec. l3,-Stories OF re-
tolting practices OF American and for
eign procurers OF women for importa-
ton into the United States for immoral
purposes are told in a report issued to-
day by the Immigration commission.
The recommendations Of the commits
sion contemplate a closer SCRUTINY OF
the admission OF alien women and re-
newed efforts to stamp out the So
called white slave. traffic.
In explanation OF the act OF laying
bare to the public the horrible details
Of discoveries by its agents the com-.
traffic" is the most pitiful and the most
revolving phase OF the immigration
question.
Evils Great Growth.
This business has assumed large pro-
portions and It has been exerting so.
evil an influence upon the country that
the commission declares that 1t felt
compelled to make It the rub1ect of q
thorough investigation.
Since h subject Is especially liable
to sensational exploitation, the report
says, IT Is important that the state,
ment OF the commission should deal
with ~undeniable facts, which form a
basis of reasonable legislative and adj
ministrative action to lessen Its evils.
The inquiry covered the cities OF New
York, Chicago. San Francisco, Seattle,
Portland, Salt Lake, Ogden. Butte.
Denver, Buffalo, Boston and New Or.
leans. No attempt was made to In
vestigate conditions in every impor-
tant city blu the commission believes
that through evidence with references
to women of difference race and ma
tionalities and living under different
conditions has obtained from localities
sufficiently scattered to warrant the
l ranOrtS hninp used az a ho Gle frw 1nDfc.
lative and administrative action.
Methods Are Exposed.
The report deals with methods used
by men and women p%rocurers to lure
women into this country for immoral
purposes. These methods differ as
adopted in different countries. In some
countries men and women In the bust
ness of enticing innocent girls to the
United States resort to proffers or at
the men offer themselves in marriage
and frequently risk prosecution on
charges Of bigamy in order to attain
their desires.
Much of the evidence taken by the
agents Of the commission Is given In
proof of statements made In the re-
ports. and there are also aff1davits
from police officials letters from
government officials giving the charac-
ter of evidence on which the report has
been based.
No Corporation in 1t.
The report says concerning talk of
a great monopolistic corporation whose
business 1t is to import and exploit
these unfortunate women
THE commission has been unable to
learn Of any such corporation and does
not believe in Its existence"
1t is stated, however. that persons
engaged in such importing business
doubtless have a wide acquaintance
among themselves, and in many in
stances they nave rather close bust
ness relations, one with another, SO as
to prevent their victims from getting
out of their clutches before III have
realized the desired profits from their
base ventures.
Recommendations Made.
Under the head of recommends
TONS" the commission says:
owing to the difference between
European and American views regard
ing prostitution operation for the sup
preston of the white slave traffic can
be expected from most Of the Euro
pean nations only along certain lines.
Most European countries are rigid in
their relations regarding procuring OF
of fraud and deceit. Women who are
Of age and who enter the business of
their own accord are not tnterfered
with.
I'm continental countries where these
conditions exist no cooperation can be
expected to prevent professional cour-
tesans from sailing to the United
States. Such governments probably
would cooperate to prevent the Sc
duction of minors or the fraudulent OF
forcible expectation of these women. In
the main, however, the United States
government must rely upon it's own
officials for prevention of this traffic.
A number Of suggestions of admin
istrative changes and more rigid en-
forcement of existing relations by the
department of commerce and labor
particularly by the bureau of immigra-
ton, and amendments of the immigra.
ton act itself are submitted by the
commission.