The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1913-02-06
WOMEN YCTlMIzED
INTO ~DECENERACY
Head Of Social Hygiene Bureau
Blames Men for Organized
Commercial Social Evil.

New York. Special: Man.. not woman,
is responsible for the organized COM
mercial social evil IN this country, In
the opinion of John D. Rockefeller. 5r.
1t is a mans business. run for profit,
and the profit is large"
These views are expressed In q state
ment made public by Mr. Rockefeller
here, giving further details OF the
aims OF the bureau of social hygiene,
through which Mr.. Rockefeller and 9TH
er philanthropists hope to attack and
alleviate conditions which he considers
the greatest single enace to the per-
petuation OF the inns race"
THE idea OF establishing a perman-
ent organization to combat the social
evil in this city" says h statement,
was the outgrowth of my service OF
six months as foreman of the white
slave grand jury appointed in New
York city at the beginning of 1910.
Vital World Problem.
Il came at that time to realize the
extent and horror OF the evil and to
believe that 1t constituted of the
ETeat and vital world problems Of the
day.
'In the judgment Of eminent medi-
cal men 1t forms, from the point Of
view OF disease, the greatest single
menace to h perpetuation Of the hui
man race. Therefore, as a result of
conferences with many people, the bu-
reau of social hygiene was established
Studied Conditions Abroad.
Under the direction Of the bureau,
George j.. K~neeland, who conducted the
investigation carried on by the Chicago
vice commission, has made a compre-
hensive study Of vice conditions i n this
city; and Abraham Flexner has spent
nearly a ear abroad, Investigating the
methods Of dealing with this problem
in the leading cities Of Europe. He will
makes further studies in a number 81
the larger cities Of this country. AS
Zach of these studies Is completed, 1t
will be published and until his is done
the bureau deems 1t unwise and prema-
ture to express any conclusions as to a
method of dealing with the social evil
in this city"
Women Sinned Against.
AS to whether the woman Is a victim
or a contributor to her own vicious. ca
reer, Mr.. Rockefeller says:
Il say unhesitatingly that in the vast
majority Of cases h is a victim.
Prostitution as now conducted in this
country and In Europe is very largely
ly tools in the hands Of the stronger
sex. It is q business run for profit, ano
the profit is large. 1t is my belief that
less than rs per cent of the prostitutes
in this country would have fallen If
they had a an equally good chance
W ASdu q puI0 L 11ldL Iu0y nave
been dragged into h mtre in such
large numbers is due to a variety OF
circumstances, among which are pow
erty. low wages, improper home con-
ditions and lack of training, the de-
sire to crafty the natural craving for
amusement, -retty things, etc.; but
while all of these and many others may
be contributing causes, man is chiefly
responsible for their fall.
Financed BY Individuals.
Thus far the work Of the bureau
has been financed by its members and
a few interested friends, and this will
continue to be the case until a larger
n more formal organization Is con-
sidered advisable. To its future hnan-
cial policy, 1t is NOT now necessary tc
give attention. AS its needs grow
there are numbers Of men and women
in this city, who, I am confident, stand
ready to join in meeting them.
While the bureau expects to pub
lish all Of its important studies, 1t Is
obvious that its preliminary work car
be best done without publicity.
1.-THE bureau holds itself ready to en-
ter any field Of investigation which
seems likely to contribute to the mair
purpose for which it has been estab
lished."