The Washington herald., 1917-03-11
White .SLAVERS WIPED
OUT OF WASHINGTON
No More Do Vultures Wait at Union
Station to Lure Girls to Dens.

White slavery has been wiped out in
Washington.
That is the opinion of the women work.
ers Of the Travellers Aid Society, who
hover about Union Station every day and
night, and who know as much about the
trafac as does any one.
1T used 70 be that men would loiter
about the waiting-room OF the station
regularly" said one of the workers yes
terday. and try to pick up little girls
who had come into the city to look for
work, Turing them to some den.
Now that is practically impossible. The
station policemen and detectives watch
out for this particularly. in the outer
rooms, and the matron and I see to the
girls who come into the women's rooms.
man couldn't loiter about the station
long without being watched"
The worker explained that few girls
came to Washington as compared with
other cities. Practically all the domestic
work in Washington is done by negro
women who live here, and there are
scarcely any factories that employ large
numbers Of girls. Factory towns are the
r-7-' ---H.shie 7s+Nces for procurers to
p rhei, asfaTious tra
Homes Care for Girls.
Many g.srs are turned over 70 US by
the -lESzs a. the information desk" said
town - sbrut ToorliEs houygs and
places to work, and the information desk
calls US right away. We have half a
dozen ssctarian places to send girls who
have no money. The Jewish organizations
take care of Jewish girls. The Y. W. c.
A. will care for girls Of any denonina-
tion. Negro societies care for negro
girls ST. Gertrude's Home cares for
Catholic girls.
afr hn ahla n their
room and board we have a list of room
ing houses that have been carefully in
yestigated by the Y. w. c. c., and we
can safely send a girl to any rooming
house on this selected list. We see that
they reach these homes safely, and If
they are in need OF work, we put their
case before the society of the denomina-
ton or race they belong to-"
The policemen about the station, and
the matroi in the women's waiting room,
have lots of inquiries from girls who
have just arrived in the city, and the
Travellers Aid Worker Immediately Is
called to help these girls. There are
always one or two of these workers on
duty. day and night. and they are identi-
fled by little bonnets and badges. They
work under the supervision of the Y. w.
e. A.
During Inauguration, extra women were
on duty. but the workers found surpris-
inSly few girls who came to the city
unaCCOmpanied by parents or some older
persons Most of their time was spent
in caring for children who were passing
through alone. or with lost children, or
aged women.
Almost every day" said the worker,
we have small child who is making
long trip alone and who has a long
layover in Washington. Yesterday had
A small boy who was going from his
home in Mississippi to his grandmother in
Pennsylvania. where he would be able
to go to school He had to lay over here
FL day. and saw that he got something
L" cat and that he saw a little of the
city
We take care of aged women who are
Tassing through and need some special
assistance. The matrons at the station
are kept very busy and we help them out
IN caring for the aged women and small
children. Often women get sick. or dis
outraged. or stranded here. and they need
good advice or comfort more than they
reed anything else
The worker said that women constantly
G"t stranded at Union Station. Many
come up from the South. with Just
enough money to carry them this far,
end expect by some means or other to
be able to get to New York or some
other point. These women are turned
over to homes which take care of them
until they get money from home or get
work in the city.