The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1914-01-01


charged with immortality with women when
they've used common carriers of
transportation from one state to another
and result of this agitation, a bill has
been offered in Congress repeating this
portion of the act and, it is said to have
the support of Mr.. Mann, there is little
doubt that the white slave law will be
trimmed to just what it should be- and
what it was originally intended an act to punish
those found guilty of transporting women and girls
from state another for the purpose of prosti-
tuition, and thereby gaining an igotten livelihood
AS the law stands at present, it is making a
policeman of Uncle Sam, and the Federal authorities
have entered strenuous kick to the department of
justice of the increased work it has given
them and the tendency in different parts of the
country to not only for the purpose of prose-
cution, but persecution we'll; and in numerous in
stances the officials report that the law has been
used merely of bringing back offenders
wanted by certain states in order that the state
might prosecute them when they were brought with
in it's jurisdiction.
In passing sentence vioators of this par
cular portion of The recently; Judge Van Fleet
of California explained in these words how the
white slave act became something totally different
from what inlended-
81 agree plea counsel that the degree of
the ofense committed by these grave
in where transport women from
another for purposes of gain.
"The act originally did contemplate of this
character, the intention of Congressman
Mann, expressed the Congra committee in
explaining the original bill, that il should.
''Bu Congress, in passing the bill, added that any
transportation for any immoral act where the woman
transported was openly exposed debaucher, should
be unlawful, and that broug these withn the
purview of the statute
Which leads the New York World to remark:
Thus intended by it's author prevent aud
punish white slavery" was made bv amendment to
what the Judge called the terrible" de
basng Influence of the saloon and the road house"
Aiming at female bondage, it became law that
brought within the jurisdiction of Federal courts
moral irregularities heretofore considered only by
local tribunals.
If all the evil consequences of the saloon the
road-house, the tango and the whitelight districts
to be adjudcated in the national courts In the
federal bench. United States district and circuit
judges will naturally be recruited from the ranks
of police magistrates and no else will be quite
so well fitted for mem bershp Of the supreme court
of the United States the judges of our new
courts of social relations"
1t is not expected that much opposition to the
repeal of this portion of the Mann Will develop
as it has already been declared non effective bv
numerous prominent jurists, who have refused to
prosecute men held under its provision One of
these Judge John c. Pollock of Kansas in consd-
ering the of Lee Baker said: Under the law
as c"nstrue it," the Judge said, the commercial
feature must be proved. 1t not the aim of Con.
gress to prevent the personal escapades of any
man. If the government cannot prove this man
took the girl to another for a commercial pur-
pose shall instruct the jury to acquit him. and
Baker acquitted.