Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-10-26
Crusade Against White SIav-
cry Started by Government.
CAMPAIGN IS MAPPED OUT
Secret Service Bureau and Depart
ment Inspectors Enlisted.
INSPECTION OF IMMIGRANTS
All Parties Engaged in the Business
to Be Prosecuted Under
Mann Law.

The crusade just begun by the federal
authorities TO stamp out the white
slave traffic is to be the most sweep
ing ever undertaken in this country,
according to one of the officials of the
Department of Justice charged with
directing the campaign.
Assistant Attorney General William
r. Harr and James A. Finch, chief of
the secret service bureau Of the De-
partment of Justice, announced today
that they had instructed every agent
of the department to assist the force
of special Investigators in their round
UP of men and women engaged in the
business.
All prosecuting attorneys. state and
federal, have been asked to cooperate
with the movement to crush the vice.
Plan of Campaign.
This crusade was started three weeks
ago." said Mr.. Finch today. Our plan
is first to close the channels through
which the procurers operate. thereby
stopping interstate and foreign traffic.
Then we intend to arrest and prosecute
every person liable under the Mann act. ,
Mr. Finch said immigration officials at
the various port cities have been asked TO
watch more closely the women who come
tn America. A stricter surveillance on
the part of government inspectors mas
been kept for the last week or SO, and
several arrests of THE men hlgher up
have already been reported.
1t is the purpose of the secret service
bureau of the Department of Justice to
shatter the idea that the machinery OF
the national government is too ponderOus
to take up white slave cases. and the
officials intend to strike simultaneously at
the big cities. 1t was said at the bureau
this morning that Pittsburg is the center
Of the vile trade. while some OF the lines
developed in Chicago by recent arrests
can be traced throughout the United
States.
Evidence Obtained in Illinois.
District Attorney Sims Of Chicago. who
visited the Department of Justice yes
terday, is said to have brought informa-
ton that more persons are now engaged
in the white slave traffic than at any
previous time. Evidence collected by him
in Iis crusade in Illinois will be used by
the government agents.
Mr.. Finch intimated that Washington
would be included in the investigation.
While it is understood the special in
yestigators will not attempt to ''clean up
the various cities, every individual known
to be engaged in the vicious traffic will
be prosecuted, and houses wherein white
slaves are harbored will be closed.
Those Investigators who nave been
working on the bucket shop cases and
a number of agents detailed to investi-
gate the customs house frauds have been
drafted into this campaign. The scope
of the probe extends to foreign countries
and representatives of this government
have been requested to aid by ascert aif-
ing the identity OF men who are sending
women to the United States to be claimed.
by agents of the white slave" dealers.
Discussing the crusade today. one OF
the department heads said: This move
ment differs from other campaigns here
tofore instituted in that we desire that
the utmost publicity be given to the in
vestigation. When the Mann act, with
its sweeping penalties, was passed 1t was
ers would be frightened out of business.
This has not proved to be the case.
Judging from information already in our
possession, the business seems to be
nourishing more than ever before
Provisions of Mann Law.
By the terms of the Mann act. ap-
victed of trafficking in white slaves"
is liable to fine of $1,000 or impris-
onment of not more than five years. or
may be punished by both fine and i'm
prisonment. In certain cases fine Of
SlU,UUV anu VI nv Auoi 2
than ten years is provided by the terms
Of the law.
Discussed in Purity Congress.
NEW ORLEANS, October GA dis
cussion Of the so-called white slave
traffic was included in today's program
of the American purity congress. being
held here under the auspices OF the
American Purity Federation. DR.. Ernest
A. Bell of Chicago was announced as
the principal speaker.