CHAPTER XXXIII.
FOR GOD'S SAKE DO SOMETHING.
The testimony already given in these pages leaves no room to doubt the existence of a widespread, hideous commerce in girls. In conclusion, as a sort of judicial summing up of the case against the most odious criminals of the world, we quote Judge John R. Newcomer of Chicago, who says:
"Within one week I had seven different letters from fathers, from Madison, Wisconsin, on the north, to Peoria, Illinois, on the south, asking me in God's name to do something to help them find their daughters, because they had come to Chicago and they had never heard from them afterwards.
"If you mean by the White Slave Traffic the placing of young girls in a brothel for a price, it most undoubtedly is a real fact, based upon statements that have been made in my court during the past three months by defendants, both men and women, who have pleaded guilty to that crime, and in a sense it is both interstate and international.
"Not one, but many shipments, of which I have personal knowledge based upon testimony of people who have pleaded guilty, many shipments come from Paris and other European cities to New York; and from New York to Chicago and other western points; and from Chicago as a distributing point to the West and the Southwest; and on the western coast, coming in to San Francisco and other ports there. Yes, it is a real fact; and it is something that we have got to take notice of, and something that, while it may have been developed largely during the last ten years, the national government itself has recently taken notice of its existence.
"There are three specific classes of what we might call white slave traders. First, the man or woman who conducts the brothel; and if I had more time I would like to tell you something about the ways and means used by these people to keep at least a large number of their girls there. Second, the man who acts as a sort of broker, dealing in girls, transferring them from one brothel to another. The third class is the lowest of all—those men and women, largely women, who make a business of procuring girls for the brothel. These three classes make a living off that traffic and the profit therefrom."
Bishop Anderson of the Episcopal diocese of Chicago says: "The mind of the public is moral, and if it can be convinced of the actual state of affairs the public conscience will soon be aroused and something good is bound to be accomplished. Accurate and conservative information, if spread broadcast, will go far to accomplish the great work which we have in hand."
St. Paul had a like confidence in the public intelligence and conscience, and in the usefulness of information spread broadcast to end the White Slave Traffic. The apostle wrote on this subject in 2 Timothy, 3:6-9: "For of these are they that creep into houses and lead captive silly women, laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, ever learning and never able to come to a knowledge of the truth. Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses so do these men also resist the truth, men of corrupt mind, reprobate concerning the faith. But they shall proceed no further, for their folly shall be known unto all men, as theirs also came to be." St. Paul here intimates that publicity will overthrow the traffickers in women as the opponents of Moses were overwhelmed in Egypt.
In this confidence we are sending forth this volume, to spread broadcast the testimony of many witnesses, whose character and intelligence none can impeach. We are certain that if the facts set forth in this book by lawyers, physicians, missionaries and other workers are understood by the English-speaking peoples the White Slave Traffic will be immediately and permanently reduced and speedily abolished throughout the Anglo-Saxon world. All Christendom must follow if we lead worthily in this reform. Japan will quickly join us and is already doing so. Human nature itself, once it is enlightened as to the facts of commerce in girls, must almost necessarily abolish the cursed trade.