And in this lies the revolting side of the situation. On the one hand the victims, pure, innocent, unsuspecting, trusting young girls--not a few of them mere children. On the other hand, the white slave trader, low, vile, depraved and cunning,--organically a criminal. In the prosecutions which I have officially conducted against this class of criminals the fact has developed that when caught they generally are willing to arrange to pay heavy fines. These offers have, of course, been refused and we have taken the position that we will in no case accept merely a fine. In all these cases already tried we have asked the court to impose jail sentences and we expect to continue that policy. Men and women who make a living and fatten off the shame, the disgrace and the ruin of innocent young girls are a menace to the community, to whom no quarter should be given. The rule in my office with reference to this class of cases is to show no quarter--to extend no consideration of any kind. We are requiring heavy bail and asking for imprisonment in the penitentiary in case of conviction. And I may add that no criminal convictions secured as a result of my efforts have yielded me a personal satisfaction to be compared with that afforded by the conviction of those engaged in the white slave trade. One word more: I hope soon to see the time when the laws of the land will as carefully protect the daughters of the United States from the destroying hand of the white slave trader as the international treaty agreements now protect the girl who is brought in from foreign shores. Respectfully, EDWIN W. SIMS. [Illustration: AT WORK IN THE VICE DISTRICT--AT THE VERY DOOR OF A DEN In some cities the charitable organizations have missionaries whose work is among the denizens of the vice districts. This picture shows one of them pleading with a lost one to give up her sinful life.] [Illustration: BARS WERE REMOVED BY ORDER OF THE CHIEF OF POLICE Until quite recently the back and side windows of vice resorts were barred like a prison, and one of the first steps in this crusade was to get the chief of police to remove them.] War on the White Slave Trade. CHAPTER I. HISTORY OF THE WHITE SLAVE TRADE. By the white slave trade is meant commerce in white women and girls for wicked purposes. Most of its history cannot be written, for two reasons: That these crimes are kept secret as far as possible, and that they are so revolting that their details cannot be published and ought not to be read anywhere outside of the bottomless pit. Crimes against womanhood are as old as sin. From the day that the serpent beguiled Eve by his craftiness until now, there have been few days or nights when some daughter of Eve has not been deceived or forced into an evil life by some serpent or other. BABYLON.