IMPORTATION AND HARBORING OF WOMEN FOR IMMORAL PURPOSES.

INTRODUCTORY.

The importation and harboring of alien women and girls for immoral purposes and the practice of prostitution by them-the socalled "white-slave traffic "-is the most pitiful and the most revolting phase of the immigration question. It is in violation of the immigration law and of the agreement of 1904 between the United States and other powers for the repression of the trade in white women. This business had assumed such large proportions and was exerting so evil an influence upon our country that the Immigration Commission felt compelled to make it the subject of a thorough investigation. Since the subject is especially liable to sensational exploitation, the Commission's report is primarily a statement of undeniable facts calculated to form a basis of reasonable legislative and administrative action to lessen its evils.

The report was presented to Congress December 10, 1909, and at once received a wide circulation. Steps were immediately taken to amend the immigration law of 1907 to more effectively prevent the importation of women and girls for immoral purposes, and their control by importers or others after admission to the United States. Such a law closely following the Commission's recommendations was approved by the President March 26, 1910.o

By the terms of the new law the following were added to the classes excluded by section 2 of the immigration act of 1907: "Persons who are supported by or receive in whole or in part the proceeds of prostitution." Under the terms of the act of 1907," women or girls coming into the United States for the purpose of prostitution or for any other immoral purpose," and also "persons who procure or attempt to bring in prostitutes or women or girls for the purpose of prostitution or for any other immoral purpose," were specifically excluded from the United States. Under that law, however, there was no specific provision for the exclusion of that particularly reprehensible class of persons referred to in the act of March 26, 1910. The need for such a provision will appear later.

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The act of 1910 also amended section 3 of the immigration law by providing additional means for the punishment and deportation of aliens who in any way profit or derive benefit from the proceeds of prostitution.

a Prblic act No. 107, 61st Cong., 2d sess.

See pp. 732-733.

© See p. 733.

Section 3 of the immigration act of February 20, 1907, and the same section as amended by the act of March 26, 1910, follow:

came, or of which he is a subject or a citizen, in the manner provided in sections twenty and twenty-one of this act. In all prosecutions under this section the testimony of a husband or wife shall be admissible and competent evidence against a wife or husband.

The agitation of the subject also resulted in the enactment of a law prohibiting the transportation of persons from one State to another for purposes of prostitution."

METHODS OF INVESTIGATION.

The investigation was begun in November, 1907, under the active supervision of a special committee of the Commission; the work was conducted by a special agent in charge, with numerous assistants. Too much credit can not be given to the agents who independently planned details and with cheerful courage, even at the risk of their lives at times, secured information relative to this traffic. Several of the agents under various pretexts had to associate on friendly terms with the criminal procurers, importers, and pimps, and their unfortunate or degraded victims, when a discovery of the agents' purposes might have resulted in their murder. One woman agent was attacked and beaten, escaping serious injury, if not murder, only with the greatest difficulty, and yet the next day she went cheerfully back to her work, though, of course, in another locality where she was not known. Special information was secured from men who had themselves acted as keepers of disorderly houses; from women who were managing houses; from physicians who had practiced in them; from women who had formerly been prostitutes; and from some of the unfortunate women who under false pretenses had been brought into the country for immoral purposes. These persons in some cases continue their friendly relations with those engaged in prostitution and the importation of women, although they themselves have abandoned the life. Credit should also be given to the police, court officials, and business men whose circumstances were such that their cooperation was especially helpful.

The investigation covered New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Seattle, Portland, Salt Lake City, Ogden, Butte, Denver, Buffalo, Boston, and New Orleans. In some of these cities months were given to making a thorough investigation; in others, only time enough to gain a general knowledge of conditions. The work was also supplemented at times by arrests and prosecution in the courts.

In order to insure accuracy much care was taken in the selection of agents and witnesses, and, beyond that, statements were invariably checked by placing the work of one agent against that of another,

a Public act No. 277, 61st Cong., 2d sess., approved June 25, 1910. See pp. 744-747.

Procurer: A man or woman who induces another, by whatever means, to enter a house of prostitution or to subject herself to another in prostitution. Importer: A man or woman who brings women or girls into the country for immoral purposes.

Pimp: A man who wholly or in part lives upon the earnings of a girl or woman who practices prostitution. Usually he is supposed to give some protection and care in return.

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by testing the reports through arrests and trials, and by documentary material. In certain cases, naturally, the Commission relied upon the statements of the agents and others, based upon their personal observations and knowledge.

The nature of the business precludes, of course, exact statistics regarding the extent of the traffic as to the number of women imported or the number of importers. The investigation covered only those known as public prostitutes, not those practicing prostitution clandestinely. In the opinion of practically everyone who has had an opportunity for careful judgment, the numbers imported run well into the thousands each year.

For the purpose of guiding legislation, however, of more importance than statistical numbering is the collection of information regarding individual cases which show the methods of recruiting women for importation, the skill employed in evading detection by officers of the law, the measures used in exploiting to the utmost the beauty and charm of the victims, and the results of the traffic upon the women themselves and upon the community. Enough individual cases have been examined to form a basis for accurate judgment.

EXTENT OF VIOLATIONS OF THE LAW.

As before intimated, it is obviously impossible to secure figures showing the exact extent of the exploitation of women and girls in violation of the immigration act.

The annual reports of the Commissioner-General of Immigration give some indication of the extent of this illegal importation, although of course only a small percentage of the women and girls illegally entering the country are discovered and debarred at the port of entry or are afterwards apprehended and deported. These reports, however, show that during the five fiscal years, 1904 to 1908, 205 alien women were prevented from entering the United States on the ground that they were prostitutes; 9 of these women were debarred in 1904, 24 in 1905, 30 in 1906, 18 in 1907, 124 in 1908.

During the same five years 53 persons were debarred because of their connection with the business of importing women for immoral purposes; 3 were debarred in 1904, 4 in 1905, 2 in 1906, 1 in 1907, 43 in 1908. The great increase in the number of those rejected in 1908 is doubtless due to the more stringent provisions of the new law of February 20, 1907, and particularly to the greater care of the immigration officials.

According to the reports of the Commissioner-General of Immigra tion, 124 aliens recorded as "prostitutes and females coming for any immoral purpose," and 43 persons recorded as "aliens who procure or attempt to bring in prostitutes or females for any immoral purpose," were debarred at United States ports during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1908. During the same period 44 aliens classed as "prostitutes and females coming for any immoral purpose," and 2 procurers," were deported under the provision of immigration law which authorizes the deportation, within three years, of persons who have entered the country in violation of law, while 21 were deported under section 3 of the immigration act of 1907, which provides for

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