Fighting the Traffic in Young Girls; Or, War on the White Slave Trade
History
Fighting the Traffic in Young Girls; Or, War on the White Slave Trade
Prostitution
Bishop Wm. F. McDowell presided; the devotional service was led by Rev.
A. H. Harnly; prayer was offered by Rev. A. C. Dixon. Addresses were
made as follows: "Chicago's White Slave Market; the Illegal Red Light
District," by Rev. Ernest A. Bell. "The White Slaves and the Law," by
Mr. Clifford G. Roe. "The International White Slave Traffic," by Dr. O.
Edward Janney, of Baltimore, chairman of the National Vigilance
Committee. "The Lost," by Mrs. Raymond Robins.
Judge Fake spoke briefly, and a letter was read from Judge Sadler.
At that meeting, it was determined to proceed with the organization of a
State Association for the suppression of the white slave traffic in
Illinois. That same afternoon, February 10th, 1908, a largely attended
meeting representing ministers' meetings, settlements, clubs,
temperance and other reform organizations, set themselves to establish
the "Illinois Vigilance Association."
The publicity given by the conference just mentioned to the testimony of
ministers, judges and prosecutors, led the Chicago Tribune to inquire
very carefully into the truth of these statements, and finding them
true, that newspaper committed itself in numerous editorials to
antagonize the White Slave Traffic.
The same conference helped to enlist Hon. Edwin W. Sims, the United
States district attorney at Chicago, in the prosecution of the
traffickers in foreign girls under the Immigration Act of February 20,
1907. Mr. Sims has repeatedly stated in public meetings that we brought
to his notice the appalling traffic in alien girls, which he has since
done so much to suppress.
Much has been done, we rejoice to say. Still, today we photographed the
barred windows in Chicago's principal market for girls.
LATER--On September 3, in an interview with Hon. LeRoy T. Steward, chief
of police, Mr. Arthur Burrage Farwell and the writer submitted
photographs of barred windows to the chief. He examined them carefully
and said he saw no need of such bars on houses of infamy. The
explanation of divekeepers that the bars were "to keep out burglars,"
was not satisfactory. Assistant Chief Schuettler, who was present,
said, "Give it to me, I'll tend to it." He took one of the photographs
and in a few days the bars were all removed.
Similar barred windows were found and photographed in Los Angeles during
the crusade of the decent people of that city against its white slave
market. It's wonderful how carefully these slavers everywhere protect
themselves against "burglars."
We reproduce in this book two flashlight pictures of a dungeon door and
a steel screen found in Custom House Place, the former white slave
market of Chicago. These are taken by permission from "Chicago's Soul
Market," by Dr. Jean Turner Zimmermann. She writes concerning these
views as follows:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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