The Washington times., 1914-03-09
Bv KATE WALLER BARRETT.

sixteen or nineteen. pretty and
healthy
All Of these organizations had per-
I.:its to visit the docks and talk to
the immigrants when they arrived.
and most Of them had good backing.
Some were the representatives of
churches, some of philanthropic
agencies. and some had subsidies
from foreign governments. OF course.
the people behind these organisations
did not dream that their agents
were guilty Of such acts. but the
fact that SO many people permit
their names to be used by organixa-
tions that they know practically
nothing of. and Of whose work they
are ignorant. made possible this du-
p,icity.
Zone of Safety.
could 90 on, ad infinituIn. but the
story is too narrowing. I have told
enough to make every one realize
that unless good people are as much
interested in the work Of saving the
girls as bad people are In dragging
them down, the bad will always be
in The front.
As an outcome of these facts
brought out in this investigati ton.
Congress passed an act making II an
offense for any one to contribute
to the delinquency of an immigrant
girl before she had been in this
country three years, thus placing
zone Of safety about her until she
has had time to learn the language
and something of conditions. This
action on the part of the Government
was taken about the same time that
the Government signed the interna-
tional agreement for the abolition
of the international white slave
traffic, in unison with other govern
ments.
Illuminating Exlnrle
Previous to this time we had had
in our care an immigrant girl whose
case is an Illuminating example OF
the danger to such girls. and OF
how the splendid traits of mind
and heart are often used for their
own undoing.
A young English girl. whom We
will call Mary. on the advice of
school friend. ran away from her
home in Liverpool. When she
reached New York. she was held
for deportation.
But she had caught the chicken
pox coming over and was sent to
North Brothers Island until she
recovered. While under the charge
OF the Government there. she con-
tracted scarlet fever. At the time
of the Slocum diSa ster she was ly-
ing in the Convalescent ward. re-
covering from scarlet fever. when
she heard of the ship being on fire.
In A
the beach. threw herself into tho
water, and, in spite of.r weakened
condition. succeeded in saving thir-
teen children.
For this act Of heroism she vas
given gold medal by the city "f
New York. Then. with her mead
turned by the attention she had re-
ceived. and with no wise friend 1"
guide and direct, she WAS left to go
her own sweet will. The inevitable
happened.
II is one of the strange things
that when society is most guilty oi
the sin of omission, when the iogi-
cal outcome occurs it holds I'd its
hands in holy horrors.
Saved From Suicide
In less than u year from the time
this brave, self-forccttinr Sul land
ed on our shores, sh" came "ut Of
the r.ying-in warI OF p hospital Yitn
n baby in her arms. With no friend.
and not a penny in her pocket. shn
was sboIt TO commit suicide with
her baby IN her arms. by j,IInpiny
into th" river, when "a policeman
saw her and brought her TO the
Florence Crittcnton Homo.
She tainted from exhaustion be-
fore the bell could bo answered, aud