Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1909-12-11
DEGRADATION OF
MEN AND WOMEN
Report of U. S. immigration Com
mission on white Slave"
Traffic Submitted.
IT is SIMPLY APPALLING.
Abandoned Foreign Women Mostly
Come by Way of New York, San
Francisco and Seattle.

Francisco and Seattle.
Washington. Dec: -l0.-All but incred-
IDLY revolving are disclosures of an in
ternational system of traffic In botn
the enforced and voluntary degreda-
ton of men and women contained In
the report on the so-called white
slave" trade submitted to Congress to-
day by the United States immigration
commission. Shocking as is the tale OF
voluntary shame told, In the report, inn
menscly more so is the setting forth
of well-attested facts as to the compul-
sorry consignment OF innocent immi-
grant girls to an immoral life.
Much of the subject matter of to-
days report was covered by the COM
mission in its 1,400-page preliminary
report published and widely discussed
year ago. Todays report is briefer
containing only six pages, and a largo
part of it is unsuitable for newspaper
publication.
When the report was presented In
the house today by Congressman Ben
nett of New York, Champ Clark, mi
nority leader objected to its being
printed as n house document. but later
withdrew his objection.
EFFECT OF INIPORTATIoNS.
The commission says that the effect
or the Importation of immoral women
INTO this country is one of Increased
degradation and death for the woman
and OF contamination by disease for
those with whom they come in contact.
The commission says the immoral
traffic is not confined entirely to wo-
men, but 1t is clear there is begin
i.lng, at any rate. of Il traffic in men
and boys for immoral purposes.
The vilest practiSes," the report
continues ARE brought here from
continental Europe. and beyond doubt.
there has come from imported women
and their men the most bestial re-
finements OF depravity.''
The commission, in describing the
manner of Its Investigations, reconts
the experiences OF many OF its agents,
In some eases they were attacked and
beaten, and actual murder was mar
rowly aVerted.
No statistics are given in the report
though the extent OF the white slave
traffic" is characterized as country
vide. Most of the women. it is said,
come by way of New York, San Fran
cisca and Seattle. although many are
coming lately by way of Canada Ere
quently they are brought into the
United States as wives or sisters of
their procurcrs In order to pass the inn
migration officials.
The exploitation of these women after
their arrival in the United States Is
characterized in the report is most
pitiaful for the women and most brutal
on the part OF the men,
Not only the innocent and betrayed
young girls. but the more experienced
n fha of tUno Of rit-ftr
slavery. The importations come from
all countries, France leading, and the
Chinese and Japanese making up the
majority of those coming in by the way
of the Pacific coast.
PRICE OF WHITE SLAVES.
Most of the procurcrs are Of foreign
birth. The market price varies
from $500 to $1,000 for each alien wom-
an. Sometimes they are not sold out
right, but their procurers continue TO
live from their earnings after their
arrival here.
The commission recommends that
efforts be made through government
agents abroad and on board steam
ships to prevent the importation of |
women to this country; that more as
siduous efforts be made in the United
States TO arrest women known to be
engaged in immoral practiseS, and
of three years after landing, within
which period such persons may be
successfully prosecuted, be removed;
that any deported persons returning
TO this country be imprisoned, that
keepers of immoral houses in which
alien women are found. be subject to
deportation. and that state and NUM-
cipal governments be urged TO CO.
operate in stamping out the evil.
In explanation of the act of laying
bare to the public the horrible de-
tails OF discoveries by its agents. the
commission says that the white
slave traffic" is the most pitiful and
the most revolving phase of the inn
migration question. This business has
assumed large proportions, and it has
upon the country that the commission
been exerting SO evil an influence
declares it felt compelled to make a
thorough investigation.
Since the subject Is especially liable
to sensational exploitation. the re-
port says, 1t is important that the
statement OF the commission should
deal with undeniable facts, which
may form basis of reasonable lcgis-
lative and administrative action to
lessen Its evils.
SCOPE OF INQUIRY.
The inquiry covered New York,
Chicago. San Francisco, Seattle, Port
ldnu, Sull Like, OBQeu, Den-
Yer, Buffalo Boston and New Orleans.
No attempt was made to investigate
the conditions In every important city.
But the commission believes that
enough evidence of women of different
races and nationalitics and living
under different conditions has been
obtained from localities sufficiently
scattered TO use the report as a suf-
ficient basis for legislative and ad-
ministrative action.
The report deals with methods used
by men and women procurers to lure
women into this country for immoral
purposes. These methods differ as
adopted in different countries In
same countries men and women in the
business of cnticing innocent girls to
the United States resort to proffers of
attractive positions and In many cases
the men offer themselves in marriage.
and frequently risk prosecution on
charges of bigamy in order to at
tain their desires.
Much of the evidence taken by the
agents of the commission is given in
proof OF statements made In the re-
port. and there are also affidavits
from police officers and letters from
government officials. giving the
character of evidence on which the
report has been based.