The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-01-15
WHITE SLAVE ACT
ExEMPTS NONE
COURT DECIDES
Decision Ends Famous Cami-
netti-Diggs Case.
Both Must Serve Sentences for
Escapade.
FIX MEANING OF Mann LAW
Not Restricted to Commercial
Vice Only.
Highest Court Divided as to
Intent of Law.
FIX MEANING OF MANN LAW
Highest Court Divided as to
Intent of Law.

washington, jan 10-"lnIefpI
the Mann white slave law the supreme
court today decided that prosecutions
under the law for transporting women
in interstate commerce are not limited
to commercialiZed vice and include
personal immoral escapades.
Conviction of F. Drew Caminetti
and Maury 1. Diggs. of Sacramento,
was affirmed: also the conviction of
L. T. Hays of Alva, Okla, on a white
slave charge
Altho the supreme court had pre-
viously upheld constitutionality of the
Mann white slave law, the question of
whether it prohibits interstate trans
portation of women only for CONNER
cialized vice or applied to mere per-
sonal immoral escapades having no
element of commercialism or coercion
has been disputed ever since the law
enactment
Interpretation by the supreme court
of the disputed point was asked in the
celebrated Diggs-Caminetti cases and
in the case of L. T. Hays, of Alva,
Okla. In all three cases, the govern
ment conceded, there was no element
of traffic for gain.
Two Years and $4,000 Fine.
Caninetti was sentenced to eighteen
months imprisonment and fined ST.
500; DigGs to two years and a $4,000
fine. Hays had an eighteen months
prison sentence All nave been at lib
erty under bail
Lower federal courts, and different
administrations of the department of
justice have differed over the laws
interpretation. Various women's clubs
and other organizations have agitated
Tor an Interpretation to curb all inn
morality, whether commercial or not
Two other important questions
raised were, whether women were ac-
complies and, whether men might be
convicted solely upon a womans I'M
corroborated testimony <e4
The defendants contended that con-
gress never intended to include. with
classification as felonies offenses
which are misdemeanors in most
states but aimed the law against per-
sons transporting women victims in
commercialized white slave traffic.
Court Opinions Differed. &
Altho Attorney General WiclsSr-
sham, in office when the law Was
passed, ruled that it did not apply 70
personal escapades, the succeeding ad-
ministration held otherwise. The Sec
| ond' seventh, Eighth and Ninth fed
eral circuit courts of appeal have sus-
i tanned the broader interpretation
while other federal courts have held
| only Tor the commercial construction
Upon the supreme courts decision
future prosecutions under the Mann
act are dependant. including seyera
persons under Indictment and await
ing trial. including Jack johnson. the
negro puSilist, convicted at Chicago
in 1913 johnson now is a fugitive
rom justice in Europe
The court was divided. The ma
1ority opinion was given by Justice
Day Chief Justice White and Jus
| tees Mckenna and Clarke d.ssenteJ.
Justice McReynolds took no part N
consideration of The cases
One "a Wichita Case.
Dlggs and Caminetti took Lola Nor
ris and Marsha Warrington to another
state from their California homes.
and L. T. Hayes was convicted for
transporting a girl from Oklahoma
T, City, Okla. to Wichita, Kan All the
men were married.
Didn't Fix Status of Women.
Whether the women involved be-
come technically accomplices, argued
IN behalf of the three defendants, was
not directly decided by the court In
conclusion the court said:
Much is said about the character
CT the testimony adduced and as To
certain facts tending to establish the
guilt or innocence of the accused.
This court does ont weigh the evidence
in a proceeding of this character and
it is enough to say that there was sub
stantial testimony tending to support
the verd1cts rendered in the trial
courts