Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-10-16
Lieutenant Governor Barrett
o'Hara Making Investigation
of Local Conditions.
TOURING CITIES OF STATE
VIII Present Data at Next Meeting of
LesisIature-Acts as Chief
Executive Today.

ing girl, was in Rock Island today
making an investigation Of vice condi-
tons. He is making a tour of inspec-
ton of various Illinois cities, with a
view to gathering data for presentation
TO the next legislature. The informa-
ton CLEANED viii, in his opinion. ma
terially aid that body in the enactment
CT laws which will strike at the root
OF the social evil. He is devoting
particular attention TO cities near the
state and county boundary lines.
where violations of the Mann white
slavery act are more frequent and
fragrant.
Under the present provisions of the
Mann act it is penal ofense to de-
port women from one state to another
fer immoral purposes.
Is GOVERNOR TO-DAY.
OHara, by the way, is governor to-
day. He had planned to visit DaSen.
port, but owing to the fact that Gov
ernor Dunno is out of the state at.
tending the river meeting al Hannibal.
he was compelled 10 remain within the
boundaries OF Illinois. During the alb
sence of Dunno, O'Hara is chief execu-
tive. He plans to broaden the Mann
act, as regards the state of Illinois.
and hopes to secure the enactment of
law making it penal ofense to de
port women from one county to an
Cthe..
In conversation with a representa-
tive of The Argus at the New Harper.
the lieutenant governor outlined the
crusade which he has launched and
the work which he is attempting.
Il am interested in no specific white
slavery cases il Rock Island, EXCEPT
IN a general way" he replied in an
swer to a query as to his particular
mission in this city. My work is not
so much that of reformer as an in
vestigator,' he continued. II am at
tempting to gather data which can
present to the legislature to aid them
IN the enactment Of laws to abolish
the white slave traffic. / investigate
specific cases only with a view TO
gathering fundamental or basic facts
which may be useful in a general way. g"
COMPLAINTS FROM HERE.
Have you received any complaints
as regards local conditions" he was
asked.
ITO be sure. I receive complaints
from cities and towns Throughout the
entire state. l get letters of all kinds.
4
Part of them are from mothers whose
daughters have become the victims of
white slavers. Others are from the
girls themselves, while others are
from friends. Every case of white
slavery in Illinois, which is given pub
rcity in the newspapers, is brought to
my attention. The stories are clipped
and kept in scrap book which have
for that purpose. The cities are filed
alphabetically, and | can refer to any
specific instance which has occurred
in the last six months"
How does Rock Island compare
with other Illinois cities, as regards
the white slave evil?"
Your city is worse than many and
better than many. I have received
numerous complaints from Rock Is
land citizens, but more from some 9TH
ers | do not care to MENTION"
DROP DGJ BILE CODE.
ITO abolish the social evil. you must
abolish the ancient idea as regards
double code of morals for men and wo-
men, he continued. THE young man
Of today is brought up with a vague
understanding that during his youth
he may SOW his wild oats. 1t is tacit-
Iy understood that he may travel the
primrose path until he is ready to
settle down and marry. These indis-
cretions are undermining the health
OF the nation. Statistics show that
one man out Of every four in the
United States is the victim Of an in
durable disease. Segregated and H.
censed vice districts is the answer.
Ny investigations have shown that in
Chicago alone wcmen who are victims
OF the unmentionable disease spread
the infection 10 hundreds of men. |
unearthed a doctors trust, which was
furnishing disorderly houses with med
ical certificates in wholesale lots One
Chicago physician in one year cleared
$4,000 in this way without entering
the places interested. names on the
certificates being left a blank 10 be
filed in. In some cases women. known
TO be infected, have been compelled to
remain inmates Of a resort, regardless
OF consequences to frequenters."
NOT PROFESSIONAL REFORNER
"A crusade against the red light dis.
trict was recently inaugurated by the
Chicago vice commission. A report
was turned in and submitted to the
chairman. who owned a big majority
OF the properties used for immoral
purposes. Before the findings OF the
commission were made public. the
chairman carefully blue-penciled all
references to the man higher nm
ownership OF the resorts etc. ana
'sugar-coated' the entire document in
an elegant manner ! am not a pro-
fessional reformer and have no SYM
PATTY with that particular class. be-
cause, as general rule. such PEOPLE
are narrow-ninded and bigoted. They
are entirely lacking IN their ability to