CHAPTER XXVII.

LAWS FOR THE SUPPRESSION OF THE WHITE SLAVE TRAFFIC.

By Harry A. Parkin, Assistant United States District
Attorney, Chicago.

The war for exterminating the white slave traffic has progressed so
rapidly and has attained such enormous proportions, that it is not now
confined to one state or country, but people from every state in the
United States, in Canada, England, and other foreign countries, have
taken up the slogan and are vitally interested in assisting to curb the
monstrous traffic. Laws have been enacted in several of the states
during the past sessions of their respective legislatures. In other
states new laws are contemplated. Reports are received by the Committee
on Legislation daily which are indeed encouraging and show the need of
centralizing the effort and assisting citizens of the different states
who so frequently are at a loss to know exactly what to do when a white
slave case comes within their observation.

To meet this need and to further the effort to secure proper
legislation, the Committee has decided to publish the following digest
of the laws of every state in the Union, so far as practicable, for
distribution to those who are interested in this warfare.

In this connection the Committee desires to acknowledge its very deep
sense of gratitude and appreciation to the governors of the respective
states, their assistants and attorney generals, for the data furnished
by them contained within these pages. It is indeed an encouraging sign
when men in high public office stop for a time from the stress of their
official duties to assist in a world-wide undertaking of this kind.

The reader will find in these pages all of the laws of each state in the
United States, so far as obtainable, which affect in any way, and which
may be used to throttle the white slave traffic. There will also be
found simple directions to be followed by the citizen who becomes
acquainted with a white slave case and who desires to have it properly
prosecuted. The digest has been made as simple as possible, and
technical legal terms and phrases have been avoided where possible in
order that every one, be he lawyer or layman, may be able to read and
act understandingly.

The Committee.

UNITED STATES.

The section of the United States statutes which is the basis of the
Federal prosecutions is known as Section Three of the Act of February
20, 1907. It may be found in United States Compiled Statute