The Washington times., 1919-12-13
New York Magistrate In His Decision Holding Grand
Juryman for Special Sessions Says Work Is
Grave Menace to Nations Youth.

day but for all the succeeding days
in which 1 remained in the business.
/ had to draw a line somewhere.
Again she rails at present-day fash
ions and observes: "If girl had
come into Lizzie Aliens parlors wear
ing some of the present-day street
styles she would have told them to
go upstairs and put on her clothes
An Inciaent In Butte.
But We were even more impressed
by the chapter in which Madeline goes
to Butte TO open a brothel and takes
a dislike to the town because of its
loose observance of the Sabbath.
Clothing stores, groceries, saloons,
small dry goods shops, cigar stands,
dance halls and variety shows elbow
ing one another and open for busi-
ness, gave a shock to my sense OF
the fitness of things" There is also
an interesting testimony as to the
caste system in this democratic land.
"Olga was not downstairs" writes
Madeline, "and as the ballroom was
deserted, except by the professor,
who had just come to work, | pro-
ceeded to make his acquaintance, al
though / knew 1T was against the
to the pianist" AS Madeline has said,
Even a fallen lady must draw the
line somewhere
Another Criticism.
Another leading New York news
paper literary critic says:
at is impossible TO discover any
adequate excuse for such work as
this. which merely adds another to
the long list of books, fctional ana
those containing more or less truth,
which describe the life of the scarlet
woman. 1t contributes to the dis
closures already made over and over
again not an iota of any useful fact
or suggestion for the lessening of the
terrible waste which society suffers
from the prevalence of the great ulcer
of the social evil.
THE anonymous author asserts
that the book is the true story of her
life, and Judge Lindsay, in his COM
but sentimental introduc-
tion, says that it is true. Naturally
he could only have the word of the
unknown writer as to it's disclosures
of her past.
But, Judging by the skill she
shows in the handling of her mate
rials, and in her use of the English
language, the experienced reader of
fiction can conclude only that she
might have escaped from the under
world long before she did, had she so
wished, by the use of her pen. There
is no evidence in the story, of her life
that she did so wish, although she
frequently asserts that such was her
lesire
Easiest Way to Live.
She was simply choosing, all the
time, according to her own story, the
easiest way to get money. Her first
lapse from the straight and narrow
path, in her middle teens. was delib-
crate, and equally deliberate and pre-
ferred was her stay in the harlots
way OF living for many years. When
finally she chose to leave it. with the
near approach of the time when it
would no longer be easy for her to
prey upon society, she did so. accord
ing to her account, without difficulty
II she had described the means by
which she regained a place in decent
society the book might have some
slight constructive value and there
would be some excuse for its publica-
tion.
But she described only her appeal
to the church for guidance. and her
immediate quitting of the business of
the prostitute, and then passes on to
her present rehabilitated place in So
ciety. So
The inevitable differences which
any reader ignorant of the truths
she CLOSES over or conceals in her
narrative will draw from her book
are that the prostitute has an easy
time, makes no end OF money, en-
joys the friendship and help of pros
porous and intelligent men, lives in
The lap of luxury. has all the fine
clothes and costly jewels she wants,
and when she tires of the paths of sin
can, IL she wishes, easily step back
into the ways of decency.
1t Is a book that gives not the
least ray OF illumination to the So
cial problem out of which il comes.
that adds nothing to our knowledge
concerning that problem. but does
carry limitIess possibilities of cor
rupting influence and evil results"
The Defendants' Claim.
Before determining whether this
book is interdicted by Section 114I.
let us consider the defendants claims
as to the matters which it is said
absolves from any guilt hereunder.
The testimony shows an elaborate
investigation as to whether the book
was fiction or fact: that the pub
Usher concluded it was fact, and this
presumably gave a greater right to
publish as a human document than
II IT had been determined to be ficti-
tious. Whether 1t be fiction or fact
has no pertinency to the inquiry as to
whether it violates Section I14I (Peo-
pie VS.. Muller. Burton VS.. U. s. u, S.
VS.. Harmon, infra). The same must
De said as to the changing of title
from The Woman Who Would Come
Back to the present title.
THE defendants assert the intent
IN publishing and selling this book
was good and worthy, and its purpose
was to perform a creditabIe public
duty OF alleged moral regeneration or
10 further propaganda for higher
standards of morality. This, too. as
matter of long settled law has no
relevancy to the inquiry as to whetb-
er section 1l4l has been violated
I'm People VS.. Muller, 96 N Y
ios, IA. based on section BIZ. now
section 1141, il is said:
The leading purpose of these re-
quests was to induce the court TO