The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1913-01-27
Rockefellers Bureau Of Social Hy.
gIene Is Trying to Find Rem
edy for the Social
Evil.
THREE QUARTERS BLAME
In Vast Majority Of Gases the vs.
man Is Victim and Not Con-
trIbutor to Her Vicious
Career.

UNITED Press Leased Wire Service
NEW YORK. Jan. 27.-Man is
chiefly responsible for the fallen
woman. In the vast majority OF
cases she is the victim of mans VIC
iousness.
Poverty, low wages, improper home
conditions and lack Of training are
contributing causes.
This was the keynote struck by
John d. Rockefeller, Jr., today in an
interview upon the announcement by
the bureau of social hygiene of the
plan and scope OF the work it has un-
dertaken with money he contributed
in permanent campaign against the
greatest Of all social evils, which was
made public last night AS the found
| er and chief financial hacker Of this
organization, the younger Rockefeller
has taken up the task Of searching
investigation OF all the contributary
causes leading to the widespread ex-
ploitation OF women.
The idea Of establishing perman-
lent organization to cope with the
social evil in this city" he said, today
was the outgrowth OF my service OF
six months as foreman Of the special
white slave grand jury, appointed In
New York city at the beginning OF
1910. came at that time to realize
1.-THE extent and horror OF the evil and
to believe that 1t constitutes one oi
4 the great and vital world problems o1
the day. In the judgment of eminent
] medical men, 1t forms from the point
! OF view Of disease, the greatest single
i menace to tho perpetuation of the
human race. Therefore, as result o.
conference with many people, the
Il bureau of social hygiene was estab
lished.
Under the direction OF the bureau
George ]. Kneeland, who conducted
the investigation carried on by th,
Chicago vice committee, has made {
comprehensive study OF vice condi
tions in this city; and Abraham Flex
ner has spent nearly year abroad
Investigating the methods of dealing
with this problem in the leading citie
of Europe. He will make furthe
studies In number OF the large
cities of this country. AS each o
these studies is completed, it will b
:. published.
"In answer to the question as t
whether the unfortunate woman is
!, victim or contributor to her ow
!, vicious career, say unhesltatingl
that in vast majority of cases sh
!. lis victim. Prostitution MS now cor
!. Quoted in this country and in Europ
: is very largely mans business; th
Z women are merely tools in the hand
I Of the stronger sex. 1t Is bushes
run for profit and the profit is large
"It is my belief that less than
rer cent Of the prostitutes in thi
! country would have fallen If they ha
had an equally good chance to lead
! Inure life. That they have been dra'
!. ged into the mire in such large nun
!. bers is due to a variety OF circun
!, stances, among which are poverty, 10
: wages, improper home conditions an
4 lack OF training, the desire to gratii
), the natural craving for amusemen
pretty things, and so on; but viii
Il all Of these and many others may !
q contributing causes, man is chief
r responsible for their fall.
r aThus far the work OF the burea
q has been financed by its members al
few interested friends, and this w