The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-24
Il Am Not q. Reforn1er Because |
Choose to be, bat Because | Cant
Help It," Says Mr.. Clifford G. Roe
Noted Chicago Lawyer General Counsel for the American Wig
lance Association, Speaks of Social Evis-One of the
Most Distinguished Guests at the Sociological
Congress Now in Session Here-Crusading
Against the White Slave Traffic
BY DOLLY DALRyMPLE

years ago l was taken In as the Junior
member of one of Chicago's well known
| legal firms, and as is usual the JUNIOR
member has to take care OF the crlmlnai
| cases, which the others won't handle "A
very well developed and fragrant case
of white slave traffic came to my notice.
handled the case before Judge Gibbons
one of the old school judges of Chicago
a man of great elegance and distinction
| 1t was my first insight into the whlte
slave traffic Later when | became as
sistant states attorney, | was even more
interested in this particular line OF work
than ever before So l took II up. The
work was there, and l could not refuse
to do it. Then l simply let others know
the facts that same to me in the court
ROOM
segregation does not segregate," Mr..
Roe went on to say. That has proven
failure both in this country and abroad,
in Berlin and Paris and notably In ia
pan, where it has been tried out more
! than anywhere else
what is the remedy you suggest foi'
| the evil?" / asked.
"I am not in Birmingham to criticise
conditions, neither am 1 here to inves-
| tigate,'' said Mr. Roe. II am here mere
| ly to give my experience of what has
come to me through investigation of
conditions elsewhere. Six years in Chi
cago, no fight had ever been waged
against white slavery. Within that time
four hundred convictions have been
made and the conditions are vastly diff
| ferent from what they were The awak-
ening of the moral conscience of COM
munity is what is most necessary in
| blotting out this vice. The American
Vigilance association is working to this
end; not to regulate vice but to sup
| press it. We propose to do that by
I lou n1hli-
| city and education. We American peo-
| pie have a very easy way of making
| laws and then sitting back and thinking
| that we have done our duty. We never
stop to consider whether those laws are
enforced or not For instance, in some
states those engaged in the white slave
| traffic are not punished as much as the
man who steals watch or small sum
of money. Take Illinois; there the fine
for white slave traffic is from one year
| to five years, and a Thousand dollars,
While If a man steals a watch he is
sent to the penitentiary."
| What are the principal reasons that
the white slave traffic flourishes as it
does?" / asked
/ citizenship is responsible largely for
| it," said Mr.. Roe, 'sand parents hold the
question to an extent i'm the hollow of
their hands, Parental neglect to inform
4 children concerning problems that they
ought to know; the double standard of
morals; immoral literature, pictures,
songs and amusements, hasty marriages
and hastier Divorces, economic conditions
the spirit of adventure. the love of fine
clothes and suggestive fashions, and the
! segregation and toleration of vice.
1.-THE women who have good homes. and
quiet lives" Mr.. Roe continued, do not
realize the perils that young girls are
subjected to. Hundreds, are forced into
white slavery every year"
1.-The fight has become national issue
now" suggested. practically covering
| all the larger cities"
There is an active campaign being
waged." said Mr.. Roe, 'and one which
is enlightening the people. False modes
| ty has now been cast aside. as to this
subject, which was formerly tabooed. The
very people who thought by maintaining
a state of ignorance. they kept up a
like state of innocence, have been prov
en- to be in the wrong. Fighting white
slavery. is becoming a popular occupa-
ton although it was necessary at first
to prove that white slavery is found
modern commercialized vice is found
and this traffic in human beings. this
horrible blot upon civilization will con-
tinue as long as commercialized vice
continues"