Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-10-26
MRS. KATE BARRETT
WARNS DEMOCRATS
Says Voting Women Will Re-
sent Vitiation of the Mann
White Slave Law.
BELIEVES STATUTE COVERS
ALL PERSONAL ESCAPADES
Legislative, Judicial and Legal
Branches of Government, How
ever, Differ on This Point.

There are already enough voting wo-
men In the United States to hold the
political balance of power The demo-
ocratic party would have cause to regret
should the Mann white slave law not be
administered to the letter by the demo-
cratic administration. or should a demo-
cratic Congress modify its provisions so
that 1t shall not reach to the core of
moral conduct and menace every sort
of offender"
So declares Mrs. Kate Waller Barrett
national president of the Florence Critten-
ton League of Compassion and president
OF the National Council of Women Mrs.
barrett does not threaten the democratic
party. She predicts: and, in the light of
her forecasts. warns the democratic party.
| The letter of the Mann white slave law,
! In her opinion. reaches out to cover the
| personal escapades of men and women;
| in support of her view she cites the re-
| suit of the Diggs- Caminetti case in Cali
| fornla. In which jury convicted and a
| Judge gave sentence, although the COM
mercial element of white slavery was not
indicated by the testimony. That is the
| sort OF a law the women of the country
want on the statute books, in her further
| opinion. and which their ballot will show
that they stand for.
Sure of Women's Attitude.
The woman voters may not stand
together on all political issues Mrs.
Barrett recognizes. But hardly a
| woman voter would cast her ballot,
she is certain. for the party that would
vitiate what she considers the exist
- L., -
of the law or by Legislative amendment
to confine 1t to instances of CONNER
ciallSm in immortality.
In the seven states of the Union in
which full franchise has been extended
to women-Wyoming, Colorado, Idaho,
Utah, Washington, California and I'LL
nois-the general franchise is yet to be
exercised in the latter state under the
new law granting votes to Women-it
is estimated that there are more than
100000 women eligible to vote. The
National American Woman Suffrage
Association, while not giving exact fig
ureSss~ asserts that more than 80 per
cent of~the eligible woman voters do
actually cast their ballots in the gen
eral elections. A formidable vote, if
united for or against a principle or
party.
The Mann law is a powerful arm to
protect weak and silly girls-and boys,
as WELL" comments Mrs. Barrett. 1T is
tremendous deterrent to the strong
minded, self-indulSent man of means
who uses his strength and his money
to blind and overcome the scruples Of
some ambitious, struggling young
woman, perhaps with not very strong
ideal of Womanhood. who in her short
sighted egotism and vanity thinks she
has found by-road to fame and for
tune that she is strong enough to fol-
low without the results that have fel-
lowed similar course in others: and
the man with his superior worldly WIS.,
dom is there to take advantage Of her
moment of indecision.
Must Reckon With US.
"Now he will not only have to reckon
with her, but also with the United
States government, which only asks
the questions under this law: What
was your motive when you gave her
the money to buy her railroad ticket?
Was she safe in your hands?' Is there
any interference with the right kind
Of liberty in asking such a question as
this when the common carriers of our
country are used?
THE Mann law is nemesis to many
self-indulgent degenerate, too indolent
to work at any decent labor who, going
to our small towns and factory districts,
hunt out poorly developed, subnormal
girls, with the instinct of youth for
pleasure and enjoyment, men who bring
first semblance of pleasure they have ever
known, and by playing upon their Gre
dulfty and sense of comradeship, in con-
nection with their immoral natures, bring
them to city. There, without the use
of bolts and bars such girls are kept
in slavery as complete as that of our
southern slaves-who.- when the Army of
the Potomac was at their very doors,
would rush to their masters house to
beg for protection against their rescuers-
bound to a life the horrors and the hard
ships of which have never been dreamed
of by any slave driver that ever cursed
the south.
THAT is what the Mann law can ac-
complish. And, by high Heaven. the
women of this country and the men as
well-will. have something to say before
'one jot or title of this law shall pass
away Good women need no protection,
but the bad do, and the weak and foolish
and the greedy as WELL
Regrets Law Is Necessary.
I'VE would greatly prefer that we did
not need this law, continues Mrs. Bar
rett; that appeal to the manhood of men
and the womanhood of women would be
sufficient; but unfortunately 1t is not. We
are told by one of the master minds of
the world that the law is schoolmaster.
May we not hope that those who go to
TO ha M Tor oft