The evening world., 1913-01-27
Tells the Evening World of the
Work and Plans of the
Hygiene Bureau.
WOMAN IS THE VICTIM.
Experts Making a Comprehen.
sive Study of Conditions
in Large Cities.

win an evening world reporter IL luy
explained In detail he work and aims
of the Bureau of Social Hygiene, which
has declared war on vice the world over
and IL engaged in a comprehensive
study Of modern conditions In big cities
here and abroad with . view to social
betterment.
The idea Of ESTABLISHING a permanent
organisation TO cope with the social evil
ir this city," said Mr.. Rockefeller TO-
day, was tho outgrowth Of my service
OF six months as foreman OF the Special
White Slave Grand Jury. appointed In
New York GUY ut tho beginning OF 1910,
came at that time to realize the extent
and horror OF the Evil. and to believe
that II constitutes ono OF the great ana
vital world problems OF the day. In the
1udsment Of eminent medical men II
forms, from the point Of View OF dis
ease, the greatest single menace to the
perpetuation OF the human race. There
fore, a. a result Of conference wish
many people. the Bureau Of Social Hy-
giene was established.
'Under the direction Of the bureau.
George J. Kneeland. who conducted the
Investigation carried on by the Chicago
Vice Commission. has made a compre-
hensive study OF vice conditions In this
city; and Abraham Flexner has spent
nearly q year abroad investigating the
methods OF dealing with this problem
In the leading ciees OF Europe. He
will make further studies In Q number
Of the larger cities OF this country.
As each Of these studies IL completed
Il will be published and until this Is
done the bureau deems II unwise and
premature 10 express any conclusions
a. to a method of dealing with the
social OWL In this city. 1t 10 hoped
that tho press and the public will be
disposed to await the result Of these
studies bsfors formulating conclusions.
UNFORTUNATE WOMAN IN MOST
CASES 10 A VICTIM.
"In answer to your question as to
whether the unfortunate woman In a
victim or q contributor to her own VIC
ious career. I say unhesitstinEiy that
In the vast majority OF cases she Is q
victim. Prostitution as now conducted
In this country and In Europe IL very
largely a mans business; the women are
merely tools In the hands OF the stronser
sex. II is a business run for profit and
the. profit Is large. 1t Ii my belief that
less than Is per cent. Of the fallen
women In this country would have fallen
II they had had an equally good chance
| TO lead q pure life.
"Fhat they have been drsSgsd
| anto the ,nire In such large num-
i A. Il. 80 -.
| cunstanoss, among which are
| poverty, low wages, Improper
hons conditions Ana lack OF train
Ing, the desire to crafty the nat
ural craving for amusement, pretty
things, Co.; but while All OF these
ana many others may bs contrib
utanS causes, man 10 chiefly re-
sponsibls for their fall.
THUS far the work OF the bureau has
been financed by its members and a few
Interested friends. and this will continue
To be the case until q larger and more
formal organization IL considered ad'
visable. To Its future financial policy Il
is not now necessary to give attention
As Its needs grow. there are numbers OF
men and women In this city who. I ar
confident. stand ready to Join In meeting
them.
while the bureau expects to publish
all Of Its important studies, It Is obvioui
that its preliminary work can best bs
done without publicity. The burea,
holds itself ready to enter any field u
Investigation or work not already occu
pied effectively by other organization,
which seem likely to contribute to tn,
main purposes for which II has been es
TIA blished."
SEEKS A PERMANENT, NOT TEN
PoRARY RELIEF. S..
Although the 1910 Grand Jury rec
commended tho appointment Of a publ
!, commission to deal with the social evil
Mr.. Rockefeller explains that his In
terest In the subject led him 70 confe
personally with "over hundred lead
| ing lawyers. physicians. business mer
| presidents OF banks and commercial! or
ganizations, clergymen, settlement an
+, social workers. labor leaders and re
4 formers"
This inquiry showed that the disadv van
4 tages of n public commission are II
y short duration. its publicity and It's IN
ability to do more than recommen
: legislation or action. Also. Mr.. Rookie
: Teller found that of late years organi
cations against the social evil hav
!, been temporary because their member
y had other work to do, and of onl
n temporary erect. while the underwood,
!, In business all the time, recognise
/, this and Is not even alarmed by thes
"a passing demonstrations,
!. with the OBJECT OF making a real an
:, lasting Improvement In conditions tn
l.. Bureau OF Social Hygiene was forme
!, In 1911, mot dependent on u temporar
wave of reform nor upon the life OF an
, man or group of men, but to 20 OF
N generation after generation, making wa
4, against he forces OF evil Its men
- bers are Miss Katherine Bement Davl
Superintendent OF tn. New York stat
=, iicfol matory for Women at Beifor
N INNS. Paul VI. Warhurg OF the firm
=. Kuhn. Loeb a Co, starr j. Murphy,
=, New York lawyer, and Mr. Rockefelle
y As tho work develops, new memtc
:, maN be added NJ Rock, 'sllef says
N III this experiment IL succsssfui
f. M. Eocksfsller says, "the prinolp
Ar may prove applicable TO all ciAssss
b. criminals and the conditions preceas'
III TO or1ms ana lead 70 lines OF aotis
A. sss oniy more scientific and humsu
a. also lees wsstss~i thAs those ~ vssss
followed"