Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1913-02-01


land. Special Vice Investigator. and
Abraham Flexner, Medical Examiner,
Will Soon Disclose Facts on Vice and
Possible Solution Of Evil.
After two years OF earnest. intelli-
gent effort the bureau OF social by
gienc In New York city will soon have
some startling reports and a probable
solution to offer on the white slave
traffic
John u. Rockefeller. Jr.. foreman Of
the special grand jury appointed 20 in
vestigate the hideous traffic two years
ago. is q member OF the permanent
bureau which was formed at that
sonally and financially in advancing
the work Of the bureau.
Mr.. Rockefeller has issued the fol
lowing interesting statement as TO the
origin. work and plans OF the organ
ization:
The bureau OF social hygiene came
into existence about two years ago as
result Of the work of the special
grand jury appointed 10 investigate
the white slave traffic In New York
OF the year 1910 One of the recon-
mendations made by It IN the present
ment handed up at the termination OF
its labors was that n public commits
sion he appointed to study the social
evil The foreman of that body sub.
sequently gave careful consideration
10 The character of the work which
might properly be done by such a
commission and the limitations under
which II would operate. In this con
nection separate personal conferences
were held with over hundred lead.
Ing men and women In the city. among
whom were lawyers. physicians. bust
ness men. bank presidents. presidents
of commercial organizations. clergy.
men. settlement workers. social work.
ers, labor leaders and reformers.
Favor Permanent Body
These conferences developed the feel.
llik luUl u pubic tOitiiiltNNlVH NVUlt
labor under number OF disadvan
tages, such rs the fact that II would
be short lived: that its work would bs
done publicly; that nj best II coult
hardly do more than present recon-
mendaiions The conviction also grew
that the main reason why more per
| manent results had not been obtained
by the various organizations which
had dealt with the subject OF the so
cial evil during the past ten or fifteen
years was that most of them were
temporary. While active. they mate
rally improved the situation. but as
their efforts were relaxed there came
the inevitable return 10 much the
same conditions as before. The forces
of evil are never greatly alarmed at
the organization OF investigating or re.
form bodies. for they know that they
are generally composed OF busy people
who cannot turn aside from their own
affairs for any length Of time 10 carry
ON reforms aud that sooner or later
their efforts will cease. and the patient
denizcns Of the underworld and their
exploitcrs can then reappear and con
tinuc the traffic as formerly.
So the conviction grow that IN or.
der % make real and lasting I'M
provcment In conditions permanent
organization should be created the
continuance OF which would not Toe de-
pendent upon q temporary wave Of re
form nor upon the life Of any man ~
group Of men. but which would 20 On
generation after generation. continu.
ously making warfare against the
forces OF evil II also appeared that
private organization would have.
among other advantages. a certain
freedom from publicity and from po-
lltical bias which publicly appointed
commission could not SO easily avoid.
Found Bureau In 1911.
Therefore rs the initial step In the
winter of 1911 the bureau Of social hy.
giene was formed Its present mem.
hers are Miss Katharine Bcment la
Wis. superintendent OF the New York
state rcformatory for women at Bed.
Ord Hills. New York: Paul NJ War
burg OF the firm OF Kuhn. Loeb n Co.
Starr j. Murphy Of the New York liar
and John y. Rockefeller. Jr. As the
work develops new members may be
added
one of the first things undertaken 10y
the bureau was the establishment AZ
Bedford His. adjacent 10 the reforma
tory, of a laboratory Of social hygiene
under Miss Davis direction. In thi.
laboratory II Is proposed TO study from
Che physical. mental. social and mora
side each person committed 10 the ~
formatory. This study will he carried
on by experts. and each ease will. bs
kept under observation for from three
weeks 10 three months. as may be re-
| quired When the diagnosis IS com
pleted II IS hoped that the laboratory
Will be In position to recommend III,
treatment most likely 10 reform III,
individual or. II reformation Is lnlpoS
sible, To- recommend permanent Gus