The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1913-01-28
seek REDEMPTION
OF WHITE SLAVES
John D. Rockefeller ,Jr., Explains
Purposes Of Bureau.
EXPERT STUDY OF PROBLEM

George J. kneeiand, Who Directed
Chicago Vice Inquiry, and Abraham
Flexner, Medical Examiner, Prepar.
Ing Reports-soeIai Hygiene Organ.
Ization's Fight on the Prevalent
Social Evil.
New York, Jan. 27..-Among the
foremost men OF the country who have
given serious and critical considera.
tion Of the social evil with view to.
ward its human and scientific abate.
ment Is John d. Rockefeller, Jr. Ever
since he sat as foreman OF the grand
Jury In New York about two years ago
Mr.. Rockefeller has been keenly in.
terested In discovering sensible plau
for curtafling the white slave traffic.
He was largely instrumental. both
financially and personally. In the or.
ganization Of the bureau Of social
hygiene. started with the deep and
earnest purpose Of thoroughly investi.
eating the present conditions Of the
social evil and of eradicating them In
30 far as possible. Mr.. Rockefeller
now makes public the following inter.
esting and important statement as to
the origin. work and plans OF the
bureau.
"The bureau OF social hygiene came
into existence about two years ago as
a result Of the work OF the special
grand jury appointed to investigate
the white slave traffic in New York
city, which served during the first half
the year 1910. One of the recommen.
dations made at the termination of It's
labors was that a public commission
be appointed to study the social evil.
The foreman OF that body subsequent.
ly gave careful consideration of the
character OF the work which might
properly be done by such a commits.
sion and the limitations under which
II would operate.
so the conviction grew that In or.
der to make real and lasting inn
provcment In conditions a permanent
organization should be created, tho
continuation OF which would not DO
dependent upon temporary wave Of
reform nor upon the life OF any man
or group of men. but which would 60
on, generation after generation, con.
tinuously making warfare against the
Sorces of evil
Members OF the Bureau.
Therefore. as the initial step, In the
winter of 1911 the bureau OF social by
glene was formed. Its present mem.
bers are Miss Katherine Bement Ia.
Wis, superintendent OF New York State
RefOrmatory for Women at Bedford
Hills. N. "; Paul NJ. Warburg OF the
firm Of Kuhn. Loeb q Company: Starr
J. Murphy OF the New York bar ana
John ID. Rockefeller. Jr As the work
develops new members may be added.
"One OF tho first things undertaken
by the bureau was the establishment
at Bedford Hills. adjacent to the re.
formatory, Of laboratory of social
hygiene Under Miss Davis direction.
In this laboratory Il Ia proposed TO
study from the physical. mental. So
cial and moral side each person com.
mitted to the reformatory.
arrangements we're made. there.
fore, In the early part of last winter,
to secure the services Of George J.
Kneeland. who had directed the Chi.
cago vice commission investigation.
Since that time MIR. Kneeland, with
corps of assistants. has been making
a thorough and comprehensive survey
Of the conditions of vice In New York
city
AT the same time the bureau was
fortunate In securing the services OF
Abraham Flexner, whose reports on
the medical schools In this country
and In Europe are 80 well known, to
study the social eyi' and the various
methods OF dealing with 1t In the lead
Ing cities Of Europe.
BASED upon all OF these studies.
which will probably be published by
December OF this year. It Is the hope
OF the bureau that there may be de.
visd a practical plan for dealing with
the social evil In New York city,
plan which public opinion can be
brought to support"