Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-08-11
PROHIBITION CANDIDATE
SAYS LAW is VIOLATED
Commissioner Keefe Would Like to
See Proofs of Assertion.
ALL REPORTS INVESTIGATED
Corps of Special Agents Devote En-
tire Time to Inquiring Into
Rumors, No Matter
How Vague.

III Mr.. Chain possesses informa ton
which substantiates his assertion. il is his
duty as true American citizen to send
Ii TO this department in order that the
white slave traffic. which he describes.
may be suppressed.
This was the statement made last night
by Daniel j. keefe, commissioner general
OF immigration, in answer to the charge
made by Eugene w. Chafin yesterday
afternoon at Waukesha, Wis. in deliver
ing his speech of acceptance following
the official notification of his nomination
for President on the prohibition ticket.
that the white slave" law has not been
enforced i'm the District of Columbia for
ten years.
Il disagree with Mr. Chafin when he
says the white slave law in not en-
forced in the District o. Columbia Mr..
keefe said. Il firmly believe that he Is
mistaken but if he has proof that there
are violations of the law 1 would be
mighty glad if he would be good enough
to acqua.nt me with the information he
possesses.
IF he will furnish the department with
copy of his speech of acceptance con-
tanning his assertion that white slave
traffic exists in the District, tie matter
will be thoroughly investigated
Every Report Investigated.
The bureau OF immigration knows OF
no violations of the law i'm the District.
do not mean TO say. however. that the
law is not violated. I do mean that the
bureau of immigration. and likewise the
division of Investigations of the Depart
ment of Justice, are doing, and always
have DONE everything in their power To
suppress such traffic. Every report Is in
vestigated, no matter how vague the i'm
formation furnished us may be- There is
oil .tul xnrtax hxax-<af
their entire time making investigations
for the purpose of discovering violations,
should they exist. Our efforts are not
confined to the District alone, but to the
entire country.
Mr.. Chafin should not make such as
sertions unless he is in possession OF in
formation which justifies him i'm doing So"
That Mr.. Chain spoke too broadly
when he declared that the white save
law had not been enforced i'm the Dis
trict of Columbia for ten years. is the be-
lief OF officials of the Department. of JUS
tice who have charge of the investiga-
tions in that connection.
Mr.. Chains Statement.
In the course of his speech Mr.. Chain
declared that neither the present nor
former President has in the past ten
years dared to enforce the law of Con-
SreSs in the District of Columbia against
this awful crime, though il has been car
ried on almost in sight of the White
House and the Capitol, and in the shadow
of the Washington monument.
Government officials who have studied
the so-called white slave" question feel
sure that the presidential nominee on the
prohibition ticket went wide of the mark
in making the assertion. Several who
were interviewed last night said they
We're confident he had used the wrong
term III referring TO conditions existing
here. They said they believed he meant
to refer to the existence of a restricted
district i'm the city and not to the white
slave" traffic.
Such is the belief of Bruce Bieiaski.
chief of the division of Investigations or
the Department of Justice.
May Have Been Misunderstood.
II do not think Mr. chafin really
meant that white slave traffic has been
wished TO refer to the existence of a re-
stricted district. If he has Information
upon which to substantiate his state
ment, however, / know that the Depart
men; OF Justice would thank him for the
same. ] feel that he is mistaken, as l.
have investigated conditions in the Dis
trict and in other localities. L am pre-
pared to say that the white slave law
has always been enforced here.
Every bit of information concerning
alleged violations is Investigated, no mat
ter if ii is very indefinite. The depart
.ment has always endeavored to eradicate
such traffic and nothing has been over
looked.
Maj. Sylvester. superintendent of po-
lice, departed yesterday afternoon for his
summer home at Harpers Ferry, w. Va.
Inspector Boardman. who is acting su-
perintendent, said last night he was not
in a position TO discuss Mr.. Chains as
SprfignS