WHITE SLAVE TRAFFIC

White Ribbon, Volume 19, Issue 228, 18 June 1914, Page 13

WHITE SLAVE TRAFFIC

TO THE MEN OF NEW ZEALAND FROM THE WOMEN S CHRISTIAN TEMPERANCE UNION OF NEW ZEALAND. The W hite Slave Traffic, in its various ramifications, is \vc believe spreading at an alarming rate in the older lands. The traffic ina> be divided into three heads: First What may be classed “White Slave Traffic” proper. That is the forcible seizure, or abduction, of young girls for transportation to Fa stern or other countries. Second Procuration, by other than forcible mean', to keep up the supply of immoral houses in large centres. I hird—What may be < lassed as 1 ri vate immorality with itfar reaching consequenc es. The existence of the Traffic, under the first head i' happily not pronounced in the Dominion, but there i' not wanting evidence which at least points in the direction that even under that head attempts have been made to procure victims. It i-. feared that under the second 1 cad the traffic even in New Zealand is not unknown. The records of our Courts and charitable institutions disclose the fact that under the third head the evil is becoming muc h too extensive. It may be objected that the third c lassific ation is no part of the traffic, but it must be abundantly clear to all thoughtful people that it is a prolific source and a recruiting ground for the second. Instances may be given in the history of the traffic in the Old Land which appear to be almost too appalling to be true. The District Attorney of New York stated that at a very low estimate 15,000 fresh girls were imported into that c ity every year. This is only one city, and we believe not the worst. To quote from the “Christian Commonwealth” of November sth. 1913: “One of the most shocking revelations of what goes on in these places is contained in a pamphlet written by Mr John Cameron Grant, and printed for private circulation. It is a facsimile page taken from an account book ke pt by a woman, and used to givc> credit to the- inmate* of her den. The page bears the Christian names of eight girF, and a stroke is placed against their names for every man

who visited them each day. 011 five successive days 491 visited this place. On one of the days one of the girF was called 45 tune-.; on another (the* same girl) jj times; on two successive days *1 times; on another 2n time's the same guf; in five days 130 men subjected this girl to indescribable brutalities. One cannot write more' for very shame. I hesitate to set these' facts down in the pages of the ‘Christian Commonwealth.’ but I am constrained to do so in the belief that the shuddering horror 1 felt when 1 came upon them will be shared by all who read this article. . . . Hut if any one believes that such things should be whispered in secret, let him think what those ghastly figures mean, and then let him challenge their publication." It is not conceivable that men in thi' country, enjoying the' freedom and enlightenment th.it they do, could possibly tolerate conditions so awful to those near and dear to themselves. This traffic i' so insidious that it is impossible for any man to say that no 011 c connected with himself 'hall be drawn into its awful vortex. The power to kill it, so far as this country is concerned, lie s mainly in the- hands of it' men. By legislation aiid vigilance it ought to be pra.tically impossible for the first phase of the* traffic to obtain any footing in our land. Legislation may tend to les'en the second phase. But more than legislation, the power lies in the hands of the men themselves to re due c* and ultimately abolish the necessity for any such traffic. The* third lies almost entirely in the' hands of the men. We believe that few men of our country would live an immoral life if they considered for a moment the awful consequences, not only to themselves, but to their posterity. Medical science is unanimous that the effects of the evils that follow the traffic arc* so serious that they tend to destroy the stamina of our race, if not the race. We make this appeal to the men of this country, that for the sake of their women-kind, some of whom must inevitably be drawn into this traffic ; for the* s,»ke of their unborn child ren ; for iheir own sake', to do all in their power to 'tamp out this evil in all its branches. Of those who are living a clean life we ask your co-operation. Will you

help us by ending the silence under which in the past these evils have flourished ? Of those whose life is not above re proa< h, we ask, will you, for your own sake, seek self-control, because a clean life will give you the power to look the world 111 the face unashamed. W ill you, for the sake of your child ren, that you may hand down to them that heritage of health, of which a man who li t once contracted venereal dit?ase can never be certain? Also for the sake of your wife*, that \ou may not run the ri'k of passing Oil to her a loathsome disease that may mean to her sterility, dangerous operations, permanent invalidism, and even death. Doctors tell us that at least No per cent, of the abdominal operations that married women undergo are caused by the life their husbands have lived before or after marriage. Of tho'e who have contracted di' e.i'C* we would a>k that, for the sake of the unborn, they will now lay on Inemselves the ban of life-long continence, bee ause oui gaols and mental hospitals are being filled and overcrowded by the children of the dissolute. It ha' been said that “nice women,” like* the members of the W.C.T.U., should not take up sue h a subjec t. To those who hold such views we say, what kind of women should take it up ? We women of the W.C.T.C. fully recognise the loathsomeness of the subject, and it i' because of its loathsomeness and the fact of its existence, that we take it up at all. We ask you men —you men, to whom we look for protection, to join with us to make this fair land what it should be, a place where your sister and daughter may walk unguarded, yet safe. Sir Andrew Clark said: “Continence does not harm, does not interfere with development, elevates the whole* nature, increases energy, and sharpens the insight." RACHEL DON, N.Z. President W.C.T.I’. JESSIE FIELD, Convener W.S.P. Committee. W hope all our Unions will help to distribute the above leaflet. Our aim is to reach every man in the Dominion. That can only be done with the loyal help of all our members. Copies may be ordered from Mrs Peryman, 1s per 100.