The Washington herald., 1922-08-29
FOREIGN COUNTRIES
UNITE IN MOVE To-
SAFEGUARD GIRLS
Conference at Geneva
Summoned by League
Of Nations Council.
ASK U. S. To JOIN
Delegates Frame Program to
Combat Evil in Protect
ing Women.

LONDON. Aug. 2S.-The advisory
committee on the traffic in women
and children which was set up
on the reconmendaticn made by
the International conference sum
moned by the league of nations
|eouncil last year. rec ;ntly he'd its
first NEE ting at Geneva. 1t was
attended by nine official repre-
|sentatives nominated by the gov
|ernmehts of Denmark. the British
Empire. France. Italy. Japan. Po-
Iland. Rumania, Spain and Uruguay
and by five assessors representing
national or international voluntary
ganizations for the protection of
women and girls. according to the
Geneva correspondent of the Man
|chester Guardian
Part of the advisory committees
work in future years will be to
consider the reports sent in by all
the governments who have signed
the convention. giving Information
about everything connected with
the traffic in women and children.
about cases which have occurred
In their countries. and about leg
lative and other steps taken to
combat it. A form of annual report
was drafted by the committee.
Needs Financial support.
S. w. Harris, of the home Of
|ice. chairman OF the advisory COM
|mittee. in an Interview with a Man
|chcSter Guardian representative,
said that as this was the first meet
ling of the committee no such re-
|pOrts. OF course, were prepared, but
lfrom all the voluntary organizations
reports were received of their work.
Its scope and methods. These were
discussed in detail with a special
view 10 seeing whether the work
/ of the societies and their agents
|overlapped. The committee were
Informed that the voluntary .asso-
|ciations had been working in close
|co-operation and would continue to
do so. These voluntary organiza-
|tions depend on public support. and
will need more help than ever If
they are to take advantage of their
new opportunities. The National
Vigilance Society. for instance. in
England can make good use of all
the financial help given to it.
The committee discussed the
best means of dealing with infor-
[mation about the traffic which
Peaches the voluntary societies. 1t
was recommended that the volun-
|tary societies should communicate
directly with the secretariat of the
league Of nations, and the secre-
|tariat should pass on its informa-
tion to the central authorities which
were set up by a previous con-
Xxya III frfa In
|Great Britain the commissioner of
metropolitan police is the central
authority 1t was also proposed
that central authorities should COM
municate with each other. Other
Questions of machinery for deal
&nE with the traffic were discussed.
The question of affording greater
protection to women who obtain en-
+ ICagements ir foreign theaters,
music halls. etc. is important from
1.-THE British point of view.
Since the passing OF the criminal
law amendment act of 1855 there
has been little or no evidence OF
any traffic in women from this
country. but women who go abroad
| for theatrical and similar engage
ments. unless careful inquiries are
made as to the bona fides OF the
employment and the reasonableness
of their contracts, may run serious
risks. either direct or Indirect. of
being induced to enter an immoral
F life for they may find themselves
cast adrift in a foreign country
with no resources.
Invite L. :. II Join.
The British delegate was able to
quote to the committee one con-
tract under which a number of
girls were engaged on the conti-
nent to proceed to perform in music
halls in South America under con-
kditions which appeared to be en-
tirely inequitablei The committee
discussed various recommendations
designed to secure greater protec-
| Ition for such women.
The question. of safeguarding
women emigrants was also consid-
cred. Many important recommended
'tions have been made by the Inter-
national Emigration Commission,
which met at Gen ava last year The
Committee discussed those relating
women and children and made
ONE further recommendations. The
ommittee also recommended that
America and Germany should be