^-^^Wf |IN|VFR% JAINnjUV .^>•lOS•ANCflfX;> miNQ-lWV ••^ aofcaiifo% ^^Abvaan^^ :$s- ^. 'Vn.- A\\MJNIVERSyA o ^WEUNIVERS/A ^ ..^ . _ O ti. .^WEUNIVER% >- o vvlOSANCElfX> o ^OFCAllF0/?,(>, ^OFCALIFO/?^ ^>^tUBRARYQ^ -j^HlBRARYQ^ ^WEUNIVERJ/A ^10SANCEI^> o ^^,OFCALIF0fi>^ ^^Auvaan#' ^^ ^weunivers-//. o ^VlOSANCElfj-^ ^OF-CALIF0% ^OFCALIF0% %a3AiNfi-3WV^ •^'OAHVJiaiHS^ ^^Aavaaii-i^ ^UIBRARYQ^ ^^IUBRARYQ^^ ^^WE•UNIVERS•/4 ^VVOS-ANCElfX;^ Report of The V ice Commission of Minneapolis to His Honor, James C. Haynes, Mayor 19 11 Copyright 1911 by Marion D. Shutter minneapolis, minn. PRKt or HiNRY M. Hall M rNNCAPOLI* Members of the Commission. Rev. Marion D. Shutter, D. D., Chairman, Pastor of the Church of the Redeemer. EuGFNE T. Lies, Secretary, General Secretary of the Associated Charities. Rev. Father James M. Cleary, Pastor of the Church of the Incarnation. Judge Edward F. Waite, Judge of the District Court. Prof. John H. Gray, Department of Economics, University of Minnesota. Prof. David H. Painter, Principal of the Adams Public School. Herbert O. Collins, M. D., City Physician and Superintendent of City Hospital. Ma.x P. Vander Horck, M, D., Professor of Dermatology, Venereal and Genito-Urinary Diseases, University of Minnesota. Edv^ard J. Davenport, Probation Officer, Juvenile Court. Nicholas C. O'Connor, Secretary Typographical Union No. 42. Chas. M. Way, Minneapolis Bedding Co. Gilbert L. Byron, Byron & Willard, Printers. Stiles P. Jones, Secretary Minneapolis Voters' League. Mrs. Mabel S. Ulrich, M. D., Free Dispensary for Working Girls. Mrs. Mary L. Starkweather, Special State Labor Commissioner. Table of Contents. Members of the Commission 7 The Scope and Object of the Commission's Work 11 Preliminary Statement 12 The Occasion of the Appointment of the Commission.. 12 The Task of the Commission 13 The Method of Procedure 13 The Report IS I State Laws and City Ordinances 19 II Historical Sketch — Minneapolis 23 The Indirect License System 23 Medical Inspection 24 Attempt to Stop Illegal Sale of Liquor 25 Fining System Abolished 25 Number of Segregated Areas Reduced 26 III The Question of Legalizing Prostitution 31 A Restatement 32 Remarks 33 The Continental System 35 Break-down of the Continental System 36 IV Toleration of Prostitution 39 The Argument 40 V Prostitution and Medical Inspection 45 Medical Inspection and Public Health 46 Testimony from Abroad 47 Opinions of Experts 48 Minneapolis Physicians 49 The Medical Sub-Committee 50 Hennepin County Medical Association 51 The Commission's Conclusions 52 Sanitary Inefficiency 52 Danger of Police Abuses 53 Involves Indorsement by the Community 53 One-sided and Unjust 54 VI The Experience and Methods of Other Cities 59 General Summary 59 Experiences with Segregation 61 Experiences with Law Enforcement 63 VII The Present Situation in Minneapolis 69 Sources of Information 69 Existing Statutes 70 Street Walking 71 The Dispersion 72 Segregation Imperfect 72 Hotels and Rooming Houses 73 8 Table of Contents. The Public Brothel Eliminated 74 Modern Business Methods in Vice 74 White Slave Traffic 75 Saloon Restaurants 75 Venereal Diseases 76 Young Girls on Our Streets 76 Lack of Home Discipline 77 The Public Dance Hall 78 VIII The Enforcement of Law 81 The Other Side of Public Opinion 81 Police Discretion 83 Business Interests 84 Finding a Location for Segregation 85 No One Wants Segregation in His Own Neighborhood 87 Segregation Does Not Segregate 88 Not a Safeguard 91 Complicates Police Problems 92 Danger of the White Slave Traffic 93 Source of Disease 95 IX Conditions, General and Local, Favorable to Law Enforce- ment 99 The New Spirit Versus the "Red Light" Districts 100 Local Sentiment 100 Some New Forces 101 X Recommendations of the Commission 107 Law Enforcement 107 Increased Police Vigilance 108 Co-operation of Citizens 109 Regulation of Downtown Hotels and Lodging Houses.. 109 In the Interests of Public Health and Safety Ill Measures of Prevention 112 (a) Education 113 (b) Larger Recreation Facilities 114 (c) Better Economic Conditions 115 (d) Institutions of Prevention 116 Rescue and Reform 117 Permanent Commission 118 Conclusion 1 19 Appendix 123 Committee on Education Report 123 Specific Recommendations 124 The Young Girl in Industry 125 Committee on Recreation Report 129 Committee on Rescue and Reform Report 132 Notes 134 (1) The Police and Evidence 134 (2) Segregation and Housing Conditions 134 9 The Scope anJ Object of tke Commission's "Work This Commission was appointed to study the problem of the Social Evil in Minneapolis, in its public aspects, together with related questions, for the purpose of making specific recommenda- tions for its official treatment. Among the subjects to be included in their investigations, were the following: (a) The Size and Character of the Problem of Social Vice in Minneapolis, since the closing of the houses in the Sixth Ward. (b) The history of efforts to handle the problem in Min- neapoHs under successive administrations. (c) Methods and policies tried in other cities, with results attained, for such light as might be thrown upon our own problem. (d) Related questions, such as: Sources of Supply; Pre- ventive Measures; Wages for Working Girls; Control of The- atres, Penny Arcades, and Moving Picture Shows ; Education in Sex Matters, together with questions of Rescue and Reformation. It was the hope of his Honor the Mayor and of those who signed the petition for the appointment of this Commission, that a wise and practical policy would be outlined. The related sub- jects, your Commission found, as the work progressed, had to be treated with greater brevity than was originally intended. The question of an administrative policy assumed larger and larger proportions. Other questions we trust will be considered as their importance deserves by some permanent Commission which should succeed the present one. The members of this Commission sincerely believe that their report, in its main features, will not be disappointing either to His Honor or to the Community. Let its recommendations be fairly and consistently tried. 11 Preliminary Statement To His Honor James C. Hayncs, Mayor of Minneapolis. In response to a petition signed by a large number of citi- zens, your Honor appointed, last summer, a commission of fifteen to "Consider the subject of Social Vice in Minneapolis, and to make a report, with suggestions and recommendations, by De- cember 31, 1910." The Occasion. The occasion of the appointment of this Commission was tlie agitation over the closing of the Public Houses of Prostitu- tion in tlie Sixth Ward. When that question came up, it was the desire of some of those who are now members of this Commission, that your Honor be asked to appoint such a Commission before the question then raised was settled. This was the desire of the Chairman himself. Other counsels prevailed in the meetings of citizens; as it was thought that such a step taken at that junc- ture would interfere with the prosecution of certain cases then in the courts. The houses of evil resort in the Sixth Ward were closed ; and it was not until after this was done that the present Commission was appointed. This fact has made the task of your Commission somewhat different from what it would otherwise have been. Your administration had already adopted, temporarily at least, a certain policy, that of strictly enforcing the laws and ordinances against public Social Vice. When your Commission began its work, there was no "segregated district" in our city. The great question before us has been whether we should assume the responsibility of advising the creation of such a district or whether we should recommend the continuance of your Honor's present policy. To this question we have brought our best thought and most painstaking investigation. 12 The Task. It was understood that this Commission was not to be "a graft-hunting or prosecuting body;" but that it was to collect facts, interpret them, and draw conclusions which, because of the personnel of its members, might be regarded by all classes of citizens as worth heeding. It was also understood that "the Com- mission was to make no attacks on present or past administra- tions ; that it was to keep clear of political lines in its inquiry, and yet exercise the utmost diligence and courage in getting together such a body of information as would stand the test of criticism." To this understanding we have scrupulously adhered; and in sketching the history of dealing with Public Prostitution in Min- neapolis, we have aimed to give the facts without comment upon the various administrations. These facts are instructive, and have helped us in reaching present conclusions. The Method. Your Commission met last August, organized, laid out the scope of their work and the lines of investigation to be pursued, as given upon a previous page. As the work progressed, it be- came evident that the Report could not be prepared within the time originally set. We do not feel, even now, that we have exhausted a subject upon which libraries have been written ; but we have reached a few general conclusions which we submit to your Honor. For these, we do not claim infallibility. We recog- nize that other men and women, equally intelligent and honest, and equally devoted to the welfare of this city, hold opinions dif- ferent from those which your Commission, in view of the evidence available, have felt compelled to form. We believe it will help you and the citizens of Minneapolis to estimate our results at their just value, if we indicate how they have been reached. Since last September the Commission have met every fortnight, or more frequently, while their special committees have been busy in the intervals. W'c have called before us those whom we supposed knew most about present conditions and their practical handling. Your Honor has kindly placed the machinery of the Police Department at our disposal. The Chief of Police, the Police Matron and other officials, have most willingly given us such information as they possessed. We have taken the testimony of former keepers of the prohibited houses. We have had before us experts from abroad. We have conducted a voluminous correspondence with the authorities of other cities. The generosity of your Honor has made it possible for members of this Commission to visit other communities and personally investigate conditions and methods. About 350 letters have been written to representative citizens of Minneapolis, of every business and profession, asking for their opinions upon administrative methods of dealing with Public Prostitution, and for such information as they had upon the present situation in Minneapolis. Any definite information has been at once followed up. We believe the whole question has been fairly and honestly canvassed. The members of your Commission are very busy men and women, serving without compensation. Many other duties have had to be set aside ; but all have felt that, if they could do anything to help their city or its guardians, at this critical epoch, they would gladly do it. Entertaining no chimerical hopes that the Social Evil can be immediately abolished under any system of treatment, your Commission feel that, whatever may be the fate of their specific recommendations, the time has come to shape for our city a policy upon the subject of public Social Vice, which shall be consistently carried beyond the stage of a brief experi- ment. It would be gratifying to us, if such a policy should signalize the administration of your Honor, for whom personally we entertain the highest regard, whose interest in all that makes for the best life of our citv we do not doubt. 14 The Report. It has devolved upon the chairman of your Commission to put the findings of the various sub-commitees together and write this Report. He wishes to recognize the faithful and thorough work these committees have done. They have gathered the facts and other materials. The members of the committee upon pres- ent conditions under your Honor's policy of law enforcement, have been untiring in their investigation. The Chairman fre- quently uses, without quotation marks, the language in which the several sub-committees have embodied their results and sug- gestions. And it is but just to emphasize at this point the indis- pensable services of our Secretary, Mr. Eugene T. Lies, without which what has been accomplished by the Commission would not have been possible. Marion D. Shutter, Chairman. July 10, 1911. 15 I. State La\vs and City Ordinances I. State Laws and City Ordinances A report of this kind may well start in with an abstract of existing laws, both State and Municipal, upon the subject of Public Prostitution. The Statutes of Minnesota provide that keeping a house of ill-fame or assignation, or knowingly letting premises for that purpose, as owner or agent, or permitting premises to be so used, is punishable by imprisonment in the State Prison or County Jail for not more than seven years or by fine, or both. Substan- tially the same offenses are covered by city ordinances, and are punishable by fines not exceeding $100, or imprisonment for not more than 90 days. This is the legal status in Minnesota and Minneapolis. But the laws are still more explicit, and include resorting to or being found in a house of ill-fame or assignation; occupying an apartment in a house of ill-fame, on the part either of a male or female, who has no apparent lawful occupation, is punishable under the ordinances by a fine of not more than $50 nor less than $10, or imprisonment for not more than 90 days. Inducing, entic- ing, or procuring any female person to enter a house of prostitu- tion or assignation, are crimes punishable by imprisonment for not more than two years or by fine. These, in brief, are the laws of Minnesota and the ordinances of Minneapolis, and similar laws prevail throughout the United States. 19 II. Historical SKetcn — Minneapolis II. Historical Sketcn Until very recently, segregation of the Social Evil has been the unchallenged policy of Minneapolis for many years. As far back as information has been obtainable from the senior members of the police force, houses of ill-fame were tolerated in the district which has in recent years gone under the general name of "First Street." There were formerly a few scattered resorts in the lower streets north of Hennepin Ave., and for many years a slowly in- creasing number on Main Street, fronting the east river bank on either side of Central Ave. The so-called "Eleventh Ave." dis- trict, in the Sixth Ward, began to be occupied for public prostitu- tion at least fifteen years ago. The locally accepted theory has been that houses of prostitution are necessary evils, and they have been permitted to exist in the localities given over to them, with regulations of varying strictness, according to the views of dif- ferent police administrations. There have always been a few places, and sometimes many, outside the prescribed limits, more or less notorious, but conducted with such privacy as to avoid serious scandal and generally escape successful prosecution. The Indirect License. An indirect license system was inaugurated in the early '80's, by means of regular monthly fines, the keepers coming into the Municipal Court on the order of the police, without the formality of arrest, at a special session held on a certain day of each month, and pleading guilty to a charge, brought under the city ordinance, of keeping a house of ill-fame. At first a uniform fine of $50 was imposed on keepers, with costs ; then $60 ; then $65, with intermit- tent fines for inmates at the rate of $5 or $10 each. In 1897 the fine was raised to $100 (the maximum that can be imposed by the court) for the proprietor ; and fining of the inmates, except when prosecuted for special cause, was discontinued. During the last 23 Ames administration, in 1901, the police department undertook to have the tine reduced to $50. On the court's refusal to do this, the desired end was accomplished by bringing the women in only once in two months. In 1900, when the $100 rate was in vogue, the revenue of the city from this source was $41,600. The average in 1897-1900 was about $37,000. In 1901, under the fifty per cent reduction of Mavor Ames, it fell to $29,100. This represents an average of about 48 houses for the year. As the bringing of the women into court was entirely at police initiative, it is easy to see the temptation to be less than thorough. As a matter of fact, a con- servative estimate of the whole number of generally recognized houses of prostitution and assignation, including those operating under the guise of candy stores, placed them at 150. Medical Inspection. For about five months during this administration a semi- official system of medical inspection was pursued. Two physi- cians were commissioned by the Mayor to make weekly examina- tions of the inmates of houses of ill-fame, receiving each a fee of $1 per woman, and delivering a certificate of freedom from com- municable diseases, which was kept posted in the private apart- ment of the recipient. Women found infected with venereal dis- ease were ordered to go out of business until pronounced safe. This system was abandoned even before the collapse of the ad- ministration, in response to a general protest on the part of the public. The prevailing sentiment in the city held that "the sys- tem of official medical inspection of inmates of houses of ill- fame, recently inaugurated by order of the Mayor of Minneapolis, was immoral, illegal, a dangerous assumption of power on the part of the city's executive, ineffective for the object for which it purports to be designated, conducive of official corruption and public demoralization, and, if persisted in, likely to bring great harm upon our city, in reputation abroad and conditions at home, 24 without any public benefit whatsoever," and demanded that the Mayor rescind his obnoxious order forthwith. And the order was rescinded. Attempt to Stop Illegal Sale of Liquor. Immediately upon the accession of the Jones ad-interim ad- ministration, in August, 1902, the fining system was discontinued, and it has never been re-established. During the Ames adminis- tration the houses had spread widely outside the previous limits of toleration, chiefly on South Washington and lower Hennepin, Nicollet and Western Avenues. The Jones administration made a vigorous and fairly successful attempt to drive them back into the prescribed territory, but did not try to do more than regulate them there. The one reform undertaken, beyond a stricter super- vision in respect to publicity, was an attempt to prevent the sale of intoxicants in the resorts. Something was accomplished and the effort was thought to be worth while ; but the experiment was too brief to be either an exemplary success or an instructive fail- ure. Fining System Abolished. The fining system was abolished because it was believed to be unjustifiable as a revenue measure, ineffective as a method of regulation and generally demoralizing in its inevitable tendencies. It was predicted in some quarters that an increase in the number of resorts would follow. This did not occur during the four or five remaining months of 1902, but after the accession of the next administration there was doubtless some increase. To what extent this was due to the discontinuance of periodical fines, and to what extent to other considerations, — such as the growth of the city or expectation of a change in police policy, — it is impossible to determine. 2S Number of Segregated Areas Reduced. During Mayor llaynes' first aclininistration, 1903-4, the re- sorts, then numbering, in that locahty, about 6, were driven off Main Street, at the solicitation of residents of the East Side. Early in 1908, on the demand of business interests adjacent to the First Street district, the more openly conducted places in that neighborhood, then numbering 32, were either closed or com- pelled to operate under cover, and such as have remained have been more or less clandestine, under the guise of rooming houses or candy stores. When this latter bit of municipal house-cleaning was begun, it was rumored that the resorts in the First Street district would all remove to Eleventh Avenue South, and vicinity, — as some of them did in fact. A movement was at once begun among the resi- dents of the Sixth Ward not only to prevent this but to wipe out the Eleventh Avenue district altogether and this was continued with intermittent activity until both purposes were finally accom- plished, in April, 1910. At that time there were 23 recognized resorts in that district. It is noteworthy that this movement was rather in the nature of an abatement of a local nuisance than a crusade against vice on universal moral grounds. The residents of the Sixth Ward insisted upon the right to clean up their own back yard. They had found the presence of those resorts a detri- ment to business and a standing menace to the morals of the community. It was difficult for the most respectable women to appear even in the street-cars near this district at night, without being subjected to insult by rowdies and men half intoxicated. In the district itself, one of the most notorious houses was adjacent to a large block or apartment building in which about 150 fam- ilies, in very moderate circumstances, dwelt. Within half a block of one of these resorts was the only vacant lot in the neighbor- hood upon which children could play; and frequently from 75 to 100 children would be playing upon that lot. 26 These were some of the circumstances which roused the peo- ple of the Sixth Ward to action. A meeting at which 1,200 were present, 90 per cent of them men, was held at Riverside Chapel to demand the closing of the "Red Light" district. No one under 21 years of age was admitted. The meeting was a unit in its de- mand ; there was not a dissenting voice. As a result of the atti- tude of the citizens of the Sixth Ward, about the middle of No- vember, 1910, the police began a vigorous attack upon public prostitution wherever found, which still continues. The history of this radical and unprecedented policy is still in the making. The present Vice Commission have made a searching investiga- tion of present conditions, the results of which will be found later in this Report. 27 III. Xne Question of Legalizing Prostitution III. Xne Question of Legalizing Prostitution The foregoing section of this Report gives an account of the methods of deaUng with this subject by former administrations, and of the method which is being employed today. After your Commission had investigated existing conditions, and were almost prepared to make their Recommendations, in order to ascertain the sentiment of the Community, and to obtain information which might have been overlooked, the following letter was sent out to representative citizens : "The Vice Commission, appointed by the Mayor of Minneapolis, have been at work for some months studying the Social Evil in our City, with a view to making recommendations for its treatment by the city administra- tion. "We are nearing the end of our labors, and as we wish our recommen- dations, when made, to have the backing of an intelligent public opinion, we pause for further suggestions before committing our conclusions to permanent form. 1. Enforcing the laws and ordinances against it. 2. Tolerating it as an inevitable violation of law, to be handled by the police. Or, 3. Repealing the laws against it, and putting it upon a legal basis, licensing and regulating it, to the end that it may be segregated and kept under medical supervision. "Will you be kind enough to write the Vice Commission at once and state your preference for one or another of these methods, and also your reasons for the preference? Also, if you believe in any form of segrega- tion, what section of our city would you suggest for such segregation? And should the city or private individuals own the property devoted to Public Prostitution?" The responses were prompt and from a large number of those addressed. Some of these favored the third proposition. That proposition, your Commission will consider first. 31 A Restatement. To restate this mctliod : it is to repeal existing laws and ordi- nances, legalize the business, issue licenses to those who desire to keep or to become inmates of houses of prostitution, regulate it, as any other business which needs to have restrictions thrown around it, and introduce medical as well as police supervision. To carry out this plan logically, it would not be out of keeping for the city to own the property, the real estate and buildings, and even furnishings, devoted to this purpose. It is true, that segregation and medical inspection, particularly the latter, exist in spite of present laws, but they could only be made permanent and consistent parts of a system, under legal sanctions. Other- wise they are simply forms of toleration. Some of our correspondents favor this method, from begin- ning to end. "It is my opinion that the law ought to be repealed and this matter put upon legal basis with licensing and restrictions to regulate it. In other words, I believe in entire segregation, and that the business be kept under medical supervision ; and I think the location of Second Street and Eleventh Avenue would be as good as any." "I am in favor of your third method, especially so because medical supervision is absolutely necessary. Medical supervision may not stop the spread of disease, but it will be a great help and will do much toward that end." "It would not become me to suggest placing this body of careless livers in any particular section of Minneapolis, as there would be an argu- ment against each and every section, of course, but I do favor treating this matter as it was treated in Tokio, is treated in Algiers and the far east, generally, having city supervision, doctors' supervision and police protec- tion." "Regarding the other inquiries you make, my investigations have led me to the conclusion that it is best to put it upon a legal basis, on the same principle as saloons, and segregate. I would have the city own the prop- erty, in the same way that it should own a piece of property colonized by lepers. In reply to your further question : What part of the City should be utilized for such segregation? I would say almost any portion absolutely removed from the residential district. It is a pest house proposition, and should be treated as such." "Repeal Laws against social evil, license and regulate and keep under medical supervision. Locate on Nicollet Island under City ownership." 32 Such are the sentiments expressed by some of our corre- spondents, men vv'hose opinions on any subject are entitled to re- spect and consideration. Remarks. Upon this aspect of the subject, your Commission desire to say: (1) If we are to have prostitution officially recognized, in any way, it seems to us that this method is preferable to the toler- ation of it in face of and against the laws of the state and the ordinances of the city. Theoretically, the plan is logical and con- sistent, culminating naturally in city ownership ; and we can un- derstand the appeal tliat it makes to thoughtful people who de- spair of any other method. (2) Theoretically logical and consistent, it however ap- pears to your Commission as practically impossible. There are obstacles that can not be removed, unless at the end of an al- most interminable process of education, and education along other lines than those which now prevail. Besides, your Com- mission are expected to report something immediately practicable. Legalizing and licensing prostitution is a method foreign to the sentiments and feelings of the American people and repugnant to their moral sense. It would be out of the question to elect a state legislature which v/ould repeal the present laws and substi- tute others ; or a city council which would follow this up with appropriate ordinances. The people would tolerate neither them nor their legislation. Some of our correspondents who believe in this system recognize the impossibility of putting it into effect. To quote the words of one of them : "I recognize, however, the present impossibility of such course. The inconsistency of botli pubhc and private moral standards upon this sub- ject is too great for men to legislate upon the subject courageously, fear- lessly and righteously. This state is not peculiar to the present time. Montesquieu and other close analysts of social and political conditions 33 recognize the limit of power in state or society as respects this evil to be merely regulative. "It is my belief tliat an elVuicnt, if iml oriieial registration of all in- mates of houses within the n-sirieled area can be taken and kept up by the jiolice and a syslom of medical inspection therein can be quietly, but etriciently. secured through co-operation of the police and keepers of houses." Tlie whole question of lej^alization is summed up by Prof. Charles R. Henderson, of the University of Chicago, whose re- searches were carried on under the auspices of the "Russell Sage Foundation." "It follows from what has been said that so long as public opinion remains what it is, the business of prostitution can never be made in any sense legal ; it cannot be openly recognized as legitimate ; it cannot bo licensed; it cannot in any way secure legal standing before the courts; the wages of the harlot cannot be collected by suit at law; the landlord who rents a house for such purposes is liable to prosecution. Any attempt to introduce such laws as those wdiich are in force in some countries of Continental Europe would ruin the social and political career of any legis- lature." This is the general American position. It may be worth while to illustrate it by the only instance in our history, so far as known, where an attempt, successful, for a little while, to legalize the traffic, has been made. In 1870, the license system was inaugurated in St. Louis. The authority for it was obtained by a legislative trick, — the interpolation, without debate, of the two words "or regulate" into an amendment of the city charter, intended, as was gener- ally supposed, to suppress prostitution. The legal effect of this amendment, as was subsequently decided by the Supreme Court of the State of Missouri, was to repeal all state laws prohibiting prostitution, so far as St. Louis was concerned, and to give to it a business status as a legitimate industry. When it was dis- covered what had been accomplished by legislative legerdemain, a vigorous agitation for repeal began. A petition for repeal signed by 4,000 women was sent to the legislature. The Catholic Archbishop and clergy, most of the Protestant clergy, lawyers and physicians to the number of 150, united in a tremendous 34 protest against what was regarded as a political outrage. After a contest of extreme bitterness, the Missouri legislature of 1873-4 repealed the act by a three-fourths vote of the Senate and a vote of 90 to 1 in the House. It is not worth while to try to repeat that unfortunate but instructive bit of history. The Continental System. In the course of your Commission's correspondence with citizens, we have been referred very frequently to the European system of handling prostitution. Many who have written to us have suggested that we might wisely imitate. We have, there- fore, thought it worth while to insert a word upon that phase of the subject. Most people think that segregation is the prevailing method in Europe. Such is certainly not the case. There is no large European city, with the exception of Hamburg, where segrega- tion prevails. It is not the rule in Paris or Berlin or Brussels or any of the other cities that are often cited as instances of successful dealing with the Social Evil. Licenses are issued by the city to individual houses or inmates; but these houses are not confined to any particular section or sections of the city. They may be located anywhere. They are legalised, but not seg- regated. Doubtless it is true that by the inevitable tendencies of the business to seek certain sorts of environment, brothels may often be found in larger and smaller groups. That, however, is a natural process, quite distinct from the artificial concentration of vice that people mean when they talk about segregation. Under any policy which failed to absolutely eliminate prostitution, it would seek, in either tolerated or clandestine forms, certain parts of the city rather than certain other parts. This is true in Min- neapolis at the present time. The only thing which segregation and reglementation necessarily have in common is that each method tolerates the brothel. Under reglementation it is the 35 individual brothel, with licensed and medically inspected in- mates; under segreg^ation as we have it in America the brothels are s^roupctl, but without license and generally without medical inspection. When once it is admitted that licensing and official medical inspection are impracticable in Minnesota the parallel between local conditions under segregation and conditions abroad imder reglementation fails completely. And even if results abroad were more successful they would not be useful to us in determining the appropriate policy here. Break-Down of the Continental System. But this system has actually broken down in Europe. Look- ing at the theory without a knowledge of the facts, one would be inclined to think it might work and work effectively; but it does not. Most of the nations of Europe are now at a stand- still. Licensing, regulation, medical inspection, seem to work no better than the attempts at suppression which, in some instances, went before. One writer upon the subject exclaims, in his de- spair, "suppression of prostitutes is impossible and control is im- practicable." Havelock Ellis, in "Psychology of Sex," Vol. VI, says: "At the present time, however, it is those best acquainted with the operation of the system of control who have most clearly realized that the supposed palliation is for the most part illusory, and in any case at- tained at the artificial production of other evils. In France, where the system of the registration and control of prostitutes has been established for over a century, and where consequently its advantages, if such there are, should be clearly realized, it meets with almost impassioned opposi- tion from able men belonging to every section of the community. In Germany the opposition to regularized control has long been led by well equipped experts, headed by Blaschko, of Berlin." Throughout Europe, w^herever the system of licensing pre- vails, the unregistered prostitutes outnumber the registered ones ten to one. Your Commission cannot recommend the importa- tion of a system discredited upon the ground where it arose. 36 IV. Toleration or Prostitution 'i'?'9520 IV. Toleration of Prostitution Legalization of prostitution being impossible in Minnesota, or anywhere else in the United States, we turn to another meth- od. Many people despairing of being able to do much in the way of enforcing the laws against it, are convinced that it can not be suppressed; and while they shrink from legalizing what is immoral and vicious, they feel that the only thing to do is to put it out of sight and insist that the police shall control it as best they may. Thus segregation means the toleration of prohibited vice in a certain district, with the attempt, more or less vigorous and vigilant, to enforce the prohibition elsewhere. It involves the existence and perpetuation of the brothel, harboring a group of women who associate themselves together for prostitution; and in a large city it creates a community of such places, a district devoted to the practice and promotion of commercialized vice. The correspondence of your Commission with representative citizens shows that there is a strong and well-defined sentiment in favor of this plan. An extract from a letter written by one of our most distinguished lawyers and publicists may be taken as an example: "It is my impression, however, that the second method suggested is the only one practical under existing social conditions. In venturing this opinion I am not unmindful of the abuses that that method may lead to, but assuming that the City administration is fairly efficient and decent, it would, in my judgment, result in less offense and less mischief than either of the other plans." A well-known manufacturer writes: "Method No. 2 seems to me to be the only way of solving this prob- lem, and could be still more improved upon, if it could be under Medical Supervision." A prominent business man thus expresses himself : "Recognizing the impossibility in a city of over three-hundred thou- sand people of preventing secret prostitution, it then becomes a question 39 of wlicthoi or not it is belter to recognize it, and segregate it, rather than to have it scattered all through jour city, as is the case today in Minne- apolis. I am of the oiiinion, therefore, solely on the ground of preventing the scattering of prostitutes throughout the residence districts of the city, that it would be advisable to have it segregated." We add one more : "Personally, I have always believed that the proper way to handle the Social Evil is by segregation and medical supervision, under a proper code of laws. I am not familiar, however, with the result in cities where this has been tried. "My reasons for this preference are that, properly enforced, public prostitution could be confined to a certain district, and not be scattered all over the town, as it is at present. Were the evils and disease incurred on account of the absence of medical inspection confined to the guilty parties, I would not favor it; but future generations, innocent of wrong-doing, are the heaviest sufferers." These expressions are fairly representative of the opinions held by a large body of people whose civic patriotism is unques- tioned. They deserve the most serious attention. The Argument. Other correspondents have brought out other points, in this connection, and your Commission wish to make a just and com- plete statement of the case, as it appeals to a large number of our citizens. The substantial sentiment that undoubtedly exists in Min- neapolis in favor of segregation is supported in the minds of in- telligent and public-spirited men by the following considerations : (1) The existence in a city of a considerable number of women who are desirous of engaging in the business of prostitu- tion, and of a larger number of men who wish to patronize them, is a universal and inevitable fact. (2) Since this is so, and since experience shows that the vicious commerce between such men and such women cannot be suppressed, it is wiser to centralize the business so that it may be the more readily controlled by the police, in the interest of public order. 40 (3) The same conditions that render police regulation more' convenient make possible a system of public medical in- spection and sanitary control, which could not otherwise be en- forced. (4) Centralization brings groups of prostitutes under the management of keepers of the respective houses, whose interest is to prevent their establishments from becoming known as dis- tributing points for disease. Self interest is thus enlisted in the promotion of sanitary conditions. (5) The conveniences for the gratification of lust offered by a definite and easily accessible quarter devoted to prostitution are safeguards for protection of innocent females who would otherwise be the victims of insult or assault. (6) Under existing social conditions many girls and wom- en become prostitutes rather through misfortune than through deliberate choice. Segregation provides a place where they may live without molestation so long as they observe other laws than those against the vice under which they gain their livelihood. Under a policy of suppression they are hunted from place to place, and a wretched mode of life from which escape is at the best extremely difficult is thus beset with increased hardships. (7) Where vice is not segregated it tends to scatter. Re- spectable business and residence districts thus become infested with prostitutes who ply their trade with more or less secrecy. Their presence there is likely to contaminate young persons of both sexes who would not otherwise come into contact with them and constitute a neighborhood nuisance. (8) The clandestine prostitute is more dangerous from a sanitary standpoint than the inmate of the brothel, being wholly without supervision in respect to either the contraction or spread of contagion, and being more likely to incur risk of infection according as she is driven by necessity to greater recklessness in sexual commerce. 41 The foregoing statement, your Commission believes, is a fair ami practically complete summary of the argument for tolera- tion and segregation, — even in violation of existing laws, on the principle tliat it is the lesser of two evils. Without committing ourselves, at this point, your Commission invite the people of Minneapolis, as well as your Honor, to an earnest study of the facts which follow, — facts which your Commission have ob- tained with the greatest diligence, and analyzed with the utmost care. 42 V. Prostitution and Medical Inspection V. Prostitution and Medical Inspection There is a wide-spread belief that if PubHc Prostitution were segregated and public prostitutes periodically examined by physicians, both the spread of prostitution to other quarters of our cities, and the spread of those venereal diseases which in- variably accompany prostitution, would be arrested. This belief, as our correspondence reveals, obtains extensively in the city of Minneapolis. The members of your Honor's Commission, espe- cially the sub-committee upon "Medical and Hygienic Aspects of Prostitution," have devoted themselves to the most careful in- vestigation of this phase of the subject. Their conclusions are embodied in this section of your Commission's Report. We are today making war upon disease in all its forms and phases. We do not despair of the final conquest of those mala- dies which have been for centuries deemed incurable. There are no diseases more terrible in their effects upon the victim or more far-reaching in their consequences to others than those we call "venereal." Society is vitally interested in the war upon these dread forms of contagion which involve alike the innocent and the guilty. The prevalence of syphilis is estimated at from five to eighteen per cent of population, some countries having a worse record than others. Medical writers assert that from ten to fif- teen per cent of the male population of Europe have syphilis. Gonorrhoea is much more widely diffused. The original source of these diseases is Prostitution. "Prostitution must be regarded as the fountain head from which ven- ereal diseases originate. It forms the main source from, through, and by which, courses in an unbroken, vitiated stream, the poison which inoculates the living and contaminates the yet unborn. In comparison to this, all other modes of propagation are nil. In order to stamp out venereal dis- eases absolutely, prostitution must be annihilated first. No prostitution, no venereal disease. To prevent these diseases measures must be insti- tuted against Prostitution. Any prophylaxis instituted against their spread, must necessarily begin with measures directed towards either the suppres- 45 sion or repression of prostitution. {Dr. Ludwig Weiss, of Nezv York, Journal American Medical Association, Jan. 24, igoj.)" "Every prostitute, pnblic or private, .icquires venereal diseases sooner or later, hence all of them are diseased some of the time, and some of them all of the time. The man who patronizes them risks his health at every exposure. (Dr. IViltiani T. Bclficld, Rush Medical College, Chicago.)" Dr. Frederick Bierhoff, of New York, recently said : "It may be assumed that prostitution is the most common source of infection." He then gives statistics from his own private prac- tice and from his observation in three New York hospitals. In his own practice, out of 1,429 cases of gonorrhoea, 74 per cent were infected by prostitutes; in three hospitals mentioned from 71 to 86 per cent. It is not necessary to multiply statistics or opinions. It is sufficient to say that the whole discussion concerning Medical In- spection shows that prostitution is the chief source of venereal diseases. The problem of these diseases will be permanently solved in proportion as prostitution is eliminated and the public, especially the coming generation, educated. Medical Inspection and Public Health. Prostitution, therefore, is primarily responsible for these foul diseases and their terrible results, results which it is not necessary to detail in such a Report. The question that is perti- nent here is the question as to zvhat measures, in the treatment of Prostitution, zvill be the most conducive to the Public Health? What can your Commission recommend as to Medical Supervi- sion of houses of ill-fame and Medical Examination of prosti- tutes? One of the leading arguments in favor of segregation, as already noted, is that it will then be possible to establish Medical Inspection, and that thus the transmission of venereal diseases will be largely checked. Your Commission have felt bound to make a searching inquiry into the grounds upon which this argument is based : and they find the medical profession al- most a unit against the value or efficacy of such inspection. 46 Testimony From Abroad. It is generally supposed that Europe has the oldest and best systems of regulation of Prostitution, and that the clearest ex- amples are found in Paris and Berlin. If we compare the sys- tems of regulation in these two cities, we find that they do not essentially differ. In both of them prostitutes are treated as a special class, bearing a relation to common law different from that of other members of society. The sanitary systems do not differ essentially. It is true that all examinations in Berlin are held in public offices designated for that purpose, while in Paris those who live in licensed houses are examined at their domiciles. This difference is of small significance since the proportion of brothel inmates is so insignificant. In Berlin examinations are held weekly, in Paris every two weeks. Examinations and treat- ment are gratuitous in both cities. After 100 years of experience, and with practically unlimited power to deal with Prostitution as it may, the most perfect of police administrations, that of Paris, is manifestly unable to cope with it ; in the second place, it is generally admitted that the treat- ment is not sufficiently prolonged to cure the maladies discov- ered ; that as a rule in the case of syphilis the prostitute is dis- missed from the hospital while quite capable of transmitting the disease. The external appearance of the disease is made to vanish while the disease remains. As a French writer has put it, "the prostitutes are whitewashed, not cured." This is quite largely true of gonorrhoea also. As a matter of fact, so long as the diseased patrons of prostitution are permitted to transmit their maladies without restraint, it is difficult to see how permanent improvement is to result. 47 Opinions of Experts. Prof. Van Ijsselstein, of Geneva, who has carefully studied "reglementation" at Brussels, Paris, and the Hague, and who was formerly an ardent advocate of sanitary control, says in an article translated for an American periodical : "If all these points are taken into consideration, namely, the unavoid- able inadequacy of examinations even if repeated every day, the difficulty of procuring officials competent to conduct them, and the great expense involved in doing so, we are justified in condemning a system which pre- sents so many objections, against such extremely problematical advantages." (Journal Am. Med. Ass'n., Feb. lo, igo6, p. 398.) This authority, in the same article, questions (giving rea- sons), the current opinion that clandestine Prostitution is, from a sanitary standpoint, more dangerous than Prostitution in broth- els. Dr. M. L. Heidingfield, Dermatological Specialist, Cincin- nati, discusses the attempt to control Prostitution by periodic ex- aminations under supervision of a Board of Health, as practiced in Cincinnati, and pronounces it not only a failure, but perni- cious : "So evident are the shortcomings of most of the control measures, that some of the leading authorities on venereal diseases, both at home and abroad — I need only mention Neisser, of Breslau (the discoverer of the germ of gonorrhoea), and Blaschko, of Berlin (who has pursued, with keen interest, under favored conditions, the work accomplished in this direction), — are exerting their powerful influence to oppose these measures, because from a disinterested and unselfish standpoint, regarding them as harmful, pernicious, and ineflficient. Valentine, of New York, states that 'the staunchest advocates of registration and periodic examinations of pros- titutes must admit that the dissemination of venereal diseases is thereby but feebly combatted.' {Journal Am. Med. Ass'n., Jan. 30, 1904, P- 305 et seg.)" Dr. Prince A. Morrow, of New York, Emeritus Professor of Genito-Urinary Diseases in the University and Bellevue Medi- cal Colleges, Surgeon to the City Hospital, and President of the American Society of Sanitary and Moral Prophylaxis, than whom there is no better authority upon this subject, in a discussion of 48 the Page Bill, requiring sanitary supervision of Prostitution, says : "Now the law, in requiring a prompt report from the examining phy- sician as to whether or not a prostitute is diseased demands what medical science and skill are utterly unable to furnish. While it may be compara- tively easy to recognize the presence of acute gonorrhoea, these women, for obvious reasons, seldom practice their vocation with the disease in this stage; the vast majority of infections originate from chronic or latent gonorrhoea. When the disease is localized, in the deeper organs, the clinical evidence and bacteriological proof of its existence are exceedingly difficult or impossible to establish, and yet the disease may be actively contagious. The testimony of all specialists is concurrent upon this point, that in these cases it is impossible to determine with certainty the presence or absence of contagious elements. Nothing is easier than the diagnosis of syphilis in the active stage or secondary eruption ; but syphilis is not a disease of continuous symptoms. In the intervals between the outbreaks, when the disease is in the contagious stage, there may be absolutely no evidence of its existence, yet there may be an explosion of contagious ele- ments a few days thereafter." Dr. Morrow continues : "Now as regards hospital treatment and cure, it may be said that in the light of our present positive knowledge of the prolonged contagious activity of syphilis for years and the chronic gonorrhoea, which may persist indefinitely, the assignment of a time for the cure of these diseases is un- warranted. The contagious laws of these diseases do not lend themselves to legislative enactments. The treatment of chronic gonorrhoea in women is the most difficult and prolonged in medical therapeutics. Many cases cannot be cured without the removal of the deeper organs in which the germs find lodgment. If a woman is cured she may be reinfected an hour after she leaves the hospital. .Syphilis cannot be cured in a year, t\yo or even three years, and in many cases the disease is contagious during a much longer period. These cases may be whitewashed, that is, cleared of existing manifestations, but they are not cured." Minneapolis Physicians. Wishing to ascertain the local sentiment upon this most im- portant point, your Commission sent out a letter containing the following paragraph, to representatives of the Medical profes- sion in our own city: "From your knowledge of the subject, do you believe that public pros- titution should be segregated? and why? Is such a policy a preventive of venereal disease? and to what extent? Does medical inspection prevent the transmission of venereal disease? Would the evils of Public Prostitu- tion be greatly minimized if it were placed upon a legal basis, with segre- 49 Ration and medical inspection? If this is your opinion, what are the facts npon wliich it is based?" The profession generously and frankly responded : "Segregation could not possibly prevent venereal diseases unless the man and woman were both segregated in one locality under strict quar- antine. Medical inspection never has prevented the transmission of ven- ereal diseases. Under the most strict surveillance, with inspection of both the man and woman, it might be checked." "Medical inspection, so long as but one party to the act is inspected, could be of no possible value. If both parties were inspected and quar- antined, something might be done." "Medical inspection carefully conducted by competent, conscientious men, should certainly tend to prevent the spread of infectious diseases ; but experience has shown that it has failed. (1) Because it is difficult to get the right sort of examiners. (2) Because only women are ex- amined, and a woman free of infection today, may become infected to- morrow. (3) Because of the difficulty of detection of disease ; we have no adequate facilities for curing it, namely, compulsory detention in a hospital for venereal diseases. Hence, I say, that because of its inadequacy, and because of the false sense of security it gives, medical inspection should not be established." "Do you believe that Public Prostitution should be segregated? Yes. Is such a policy preventive of venereal diseases? No. Does medical in- spection prevent the transmission of venereal diseases? Probably to a small extent." The Medical Sub-Committee. One of the members of your Commission's sub-committee on Medical and Hygiene Aspects, has made the following state- ment, — in which the other members of his committee join: "I am opposed to segregation, partly for reasons already given, and partly because I believe segregation means police indifference, as long as the evil is confined to the district. Segregation carries with it protection, and educates the police to protect, knowing that it is their duty to eradi- cate it. "If the evil be not segregated, then it will scatter into more respectable neighborhoods. Instead of this being an argument in favor of segrega- tion, I believe the thing feared will be better in the end; for inhabitants of respectable parts of the town will not tolerate it in their midst and thus we have a repeated demand for police activity." 50 "I would oppose medical examinations, for the following rea- sons: 1. There can be no medical examination without at least an implied recognition and license, which are to be avoided as both illegal and im- moral. 2. An adequate examination is not practical. And one not thorough is almost worse than none, as it gives to the victims a false feeling of security. 3. Medical examinations usually result in graft. Only the most skill- ful and conscientious members of the profession would be competent to make them and it is doubtful if their services could be secured for the purpose. 4. I would oppose examinations of prostitutes for the further reason that they must be confined to one sex, and that is not fair. When I was in private practice, a prostitute came into my office in a disgusting condition from venereal disease. When I advised her to stop "doing business." for fear she would spread disease, she said. "Well, what do I care? Didn't they give it to me?" One would almost be tempted to say she was right." Hennepin County Medical Association. An admirable paper was recently read before the Hennepin County Medical Association, with which organization your Com- mission have kept in close touch. This paper summarized the conclusions of modern Medical science upon the subject of in- spection : "Government regulation, or police control and inspection, and, if needs be, sequestration of the prostitutes, has been elaborately tried for gener- ations in Europe. The result of the best directed efforts has been failure. Regulation has failed even in Germany where the man as well as the woman can be controlled ; where men like Lesser, Neisser and Blaschko, the highest living authorities, declare that it is worse than useless. Founier, the French authority, declares that venereal disease steadily grows worse in spite of the regulations, and that there is this serious disadvantage about the 'reglementation,' as it is called, that it gives the government stamp of approval to the iniquitous traffic and immunity for infection, which is but specious and illusory." ***** "The prevention of venereal disease depends upon the prevention of prostitution, and, in the language of a distinguished writer and worker in the field, "It is not a question of making prostitution safe, but of prevent- ing the making of prostitutes." 51 The foregoing expressions of opinion by distinguished Medi- cal authorities would seem to indicate that Medical inspection of prostitution, as a means of preventing venereal disease, is at least seriously in question, if not regarded as entirely useless. The Commission's Conclusions. The following points, after reviewing the evidence obtain- able, seem to be fairly well established : Sanitary Inefficiency. 1. The health certificate furnished to the prostitute removes one great obstacle from those who are tempted — fear of disease; and thus encourages and increases exposures. "The method of regulation was introduced in Breslau in a very scien- tific and Prussian manner. That means military regulation. Every pros- titute was brought before the Department of Health, and if disease was not detected she received a certificate that she was well. The year after there was 13 per cent more gonorrhoea in Breslau than before the system was established. Why ? Because every man asked for the certificate, and if he found it correct he assumed there was no danger, and he got the in- fection. The main point is that the examination does not prove any- thing." (Dr Stanislas Lapowski, N. Y., Social Diseases, Oct., 1906.) 2. Registered prostitutes greatly object to the examination, successfully resort to methods for avoiding it, and rapidly pass into the class of clandestine prostitutes. From all that we can learn upon the subject, Medical Inspection, if it at all aimed at thoroughness, would do more to scatter Prostitution than law enforcement. As a matter of fact, not one tenth of the total number of prostitutes are examined under a system of reglemen- tation. 3. It is wholly impossible to determine positively that a woman is free from disease, and the examination becomes a farce in the hands of any but the most expert and painstaking phy- sician. 52 Even where most efficiently and carefully carried out (in- cluding the bacteriological test for gonorrhoea), Professors Neis- ser, Jadassohn and others, suggest that the woman's papers should bear a distinct notice that while the examination lessens the risk of contagion, the certificate affords no guarantee of safety to clients. 4. It is admitted that a woman herself healthy, may pass on disease from client to client. Danger of Police Abuses. 5. Any system of Medical Inspection is Hable to be abused. (1) "It corrupts and demoralizes the police and offers endless oppor- tunities for blackmail and extortion. Here it may be emphasized that al- though there is in the United States no official recognition of vice, yet there is blackmail and extortion because the police in many cities, under the pressure of corrupt social elements, have developed a system of pro- tection for vice which approaches closely to an official alliance with it. (2) "It exposes innocent women to persecution. Numerous instances of this kind are on record. Respectable girls have been reported to the police from motives of revenge or jealousy, and self-supporting women have been driven from positions and their property manipulated away from them. Cases have been known where such victims have been driven to suicide. (3) "Regulation bears with special hardship on the poorest women. Indeed, it may be said that only the very poor and defenceless are exposed to its full horrors. The fact that immoral women who are able to com- mand ample means are safe against the severities of the law, has been frequently mentioned by writers belonging to different countries." (Dock, Hygiene and Morality.) Involves Indorsement by the Community. 6. Inspection, when it takes place under the Health De- partment of a city, carries with it inevitably the indorsement of the community. With or without law, the community says, in effect: "Prostitution is a necessity, and we must do all we can to make it safe." It puts governments in the position of indorsing the assumption that women may be sacrificed for men's pleasures. It even tends to make it appear that women are the chief offenders and the primary corrupting in- 53 flucnccs, and may therefore be treated with a disregard of justice and decency. On this point M. Jules Favre said: "The worst that could befall the public health is nothing to the corruption of morals and national life engendered, propagated, and prolonged by the system of ofificial surveil- lance." Again, with regulation, the state is placed in a position not clearly different from that of the individual agents of immorality, and all tax- payers, women as well as men, are compelled to pay for the maintenance of officials to supervise Prostitution. A German member of the Reichstag, speaking on this point, said : "1 he state which officially tolerates and guarantees houses of prostitution assumes the role of Procurer, a delin- quent whom the German penal code punishes with imprisonment and iiard labor." One-Sided and Unjust. 7. Reglementation does not apply to the man, who is the active carrier of disease to the healthy. It would be unjust to impose such inspection and examination upon the woman who is, after all, the least dangerous element in the case, while the man who distributes the infection is exempt. The whole proposition is based upon a wrong and vicious theory of the sexes, a theory that an older school of physicians seemed to indorse, but which their more modern and scientific successors have discredited ; a theory which still lingers in the cynical notions of morality which obtain among the "gilded youth" and blase men in middle age and beyond. "As a result of this double standard of morality, society practically separates its women into two classes ; from the one it demands chastity, the other is set apart for the gratification of the sexual caprices of its men. It thus proclaims the doctrine, imvioral as it is unhygienic, that debauchery is a tiecessity for its men. The great gulf fixed between virtuous and immoral women is bridged over by social convention which permits men to pass and repass freely. The ranks of the outcast are constantly re- cruited by new accessions from the community of the virtuous, which the men carry with them. To the woman there is no return, but the man may emerge from the mire of dissipation without a spot of social shame upon his character; he may return from the haunts of vice and mingle freely with the virtuous women of his social set." (Dr. Prince A. Morrow, Social Diseases and Marriage, p. 342.) The Brussels International Conference (1902) unanimously passed the following resolution : 54 "The most important and the most effectual means for combating the diffusion of venereal maladies consists in widespread information as to the importance of these maladies and the very grave dangers attending them. It is especially necessary to teach young men not only that chastity and continence are not injurious, but that these virtues are highly recom- mended from the medical point of view." The moral of this whole survey, from the Medical stand- point, is this : If men wish to avoid venereal disease it is in their power to do so, withotit segregating prostitutes and sending the Health Department to inspect them. The method is simple and will prove effective : Lead clean lives, such as you expect of your wives and daughters. Let young men lead clean lives such as they believe their mothers and sisters lead, such as they zvill demand of the girls they are to marry. This is their only absolute safety. 55 VI. Xke Experience and Methods of Other Cities VI. Tke Experience ami Metkods of Otker Cities One of the lines of investigation pursued by your Commission has been the methods employed by other cities, and their experi- ences in handling the problem of Public Prostitution. We have thus endeavored to obtain such light and information as would be of service in making recommendations for our own city. In the course of his labors, our Secretary has carried on correspondence with the authorities of between 60 and 70 other cities, or obtained their published reports. In several cases where we have heard of policies said to "be working unusually well, we have sent special committees of inquiry. In each instance, your Honor's private secretary was a member of such committees. Among the cities thus visited were Cleveland and Toledo, whose policies of segre- gation had been commended as almost ideal by General Theodore A. Bingham, Ex-Police Commissioner of New York City, in! an article published in Hampton's Magazine. General Summary. It should be said that the following summary represents the methods of these cities and the results of their experience at the close of the year 1910 and early in the year 1911. (1) In 32 American cities, vice is said to be regulated, in the general sense that the police take an active part in handling the evil. In these cities the matter is left largely in their hands to pursue such policy as they may think best. (2) In response to the question, "Is the Social Evil li- censed?" all the cities answered "No"; but in Atlantic City, N. J., and Cheyenne, Wyo., the regulation of vice is such that it is licensed in fact, though not in law. In these two cities, there is segregation of prostitutes, medical examination and a system of 59 fines for houses of ill-fame and tiieir inmates. The Board of Health assumes tiie responsibility for the physical examination in Cheyenne, and all prostitutes are regularly fined $10 a month. (3) In 33 cities, the Social Evil is segregated. Of these cities 14 report that there is a system of physical examination of prostitutes; but in only 3 instances, the two just cited and Mans- field, O., is the examination conducted by the Board of Health. (4) Ten cities report that they have a system of fines for disorderly houses or houses of prostitution, in each city carried out in a manner slightly different from all the rest. For ex- ample, in Baltimore, "The keepers of such houses are reported once a year, indicted and tried ; fines are imposed in the discretion of the court." Dallas, Texas, "Arrests are made by policemen; cases are tried in corporation court, v^hich assesses all fines." Kansas City, Mo., "Warrants are issued monthly by the city at- torney, and fines are levied by the police judge." Mansfield, O., "By arresting the keepers of the houses." Nevv^ Haven, Conn., "Proprietors are arrested; usual fine $100, or three to six months in jail, or both." Peoria, 111., "Fined every three months; keepers $25 and costs, inmates $5 and costs." (5) All of these cities prohibit street walking, or solicitng on the streets. (6) In reply to the questions: "Do you, as a result of your experience, favor regulation by the police, licensing by the city, or segregation?" Thirteen Chiefs of Police Departments favored all three; fifteen favored regulation and segregation, without li- censing; nine disapproved of all three, and seven refused to com- mit themselves. The nine cities whose police authorities disapproved of all methods except that of suppression through the enforcement of the laws, were : Boston, Cambridge, Mass. ; Charleston, S. C. ; Hoboken, N. J. ; Lincoln, Neb. ; Portland, Me. ; Springfield, Mass. ; Troy, N. Y., and Yonkers, N. Y. 60 Experiences With Segregation. We have thus stated as briefly as possible the general situa- tion. But there are some other facts which we gather, and which do not lie upon the surface, facts which demand a more complete statement. The most stringent system of segregation does not confine prostitution within the prescribed limits. The authorities of no city claim that they have entirely coralled it. Some report better results than others ; but beyond the sharpest line of demarkation, there is still a problem. One of our correspondents, an attorney of the highest standing, writes of the situation in Denver : "In answer to the question you write concerning the problem of social vice in its many bearings, I answer as follows regarding the conditions in Denver : 1. There is no definite policy observed here, unless it may be said to be segregation of the worst cases and general indifference as to the cases scattered at large over the city. 2. The policy is not approved by the best people, but their protests have only been spasmodic and without results. 3. This has been the course of all of the city administrations since I came to Denver in the summer of 1900." The report of our own special committee states that in Mil- waukee "there are disorderly houses and assignation houses out- side of the regular district." "Street- walking," however, in Mil- waukee, "is handled with an iron hand. Girls are brought into court with but little ceremony." In Toledo, to which we have been referred as a model, with its two segregated districts, one of them peculiarly bad and vicious, the Social Evil is looked upon and handled with a great deal of tolerance, and exists outside the limits as well as inside ; while "street walking is distinctly bad." It is significant that the Toledo Chief of Police advised our special committee not to establish a "Red Light district," as did also Chief Kohler, of Cleveland. 61 In this last nainecl city, where our special committee found segregation and regulation at its best, they report : "The police exercise rigid surveillance, and their regulations are extremely arbitrary. The sale of liquor and the use of lights and of music are absolutely prohibited. It is claimed by the police, and from all informa- tion that we could obtain, their claim is well founded, that the sale of liquor has been practically eliminated. There are none of the usual evi- dences of the character of the district, and a stranger would not know that he was in such a district. "The police are equally arbitrary in their handling of every phase of the Social Evil, including street walking, assignation houses, and saloons that harbor vicious women. They hold the saloon responsible for the con- duct of patrons, and there is an almost complete absence of the associa- tion of the saloon and the prostitute. Of street walking there is little or none that is visible." On the other hand, in spite of this strict regulation and segregation, there was strong testimony brought to our com- mittee that the situation outside of these limits was not subject to regulation. A prominent citizen of Cleveland, one familiar with social conditions, informed them that "there were rnany assignation houses in operation in Cleveland, and a large num- ber of women of shady reputations scattered through the city in flats and other places." An officer of the Humane Society had no specific knowledge of the conditions along this line. One interesting point he brought out was that his department had made a special investigation of the causes of illegitimacy in Cleve- land, and that the girls in most instances testified that they met the man in the case at a dance hall. The dance hall situation in Cleveland is not favorable. The sale of liquor is frequently allowed at large public dances, given by societies, etc. The dance halls are supposed to close at midnight, but in some cases special permits are given to run till two o'clock. In Cincinnati, O., although the Social Evil is segregated, conditions are deplorable throughout the city. Mr. Leonard A. Watson, Secretary of the Cincinnati Vigilance Society, reports, in May 1911, as follows: "The result has been that all kinds of degradation have developed within the so-called 'Red Light' district, and women and men have been 62 allowed to conduct houses of assignation all over the city. These houses of ill-resort being, in many instances, opposite churches or schoolhouses, and even alongside of them, where children and others were obliged to pass them, going to and from the church or school. Apartment houses in the residence district have been invaded ; the well-known 'madams' have set up their nefarious business in some of the most respectable buildings of the city. Good women and girls, living in these apartment houses, have been jostled by the courtesan and roue. The 'white slaver' has had his headquarters in the most select neighborhoods ; and the best restaurants, places of amusement, and even schools and conservatories, have been hunt- ing grounds of the procuresses ; and all of the time these people were known to the police ; and, except for protection which they received from those 'higher up,' would have been apprehended and forced out of business by men on the 'force.' " Experiences With Law Enforcement. Turning to the other class of cities, whose authorities dis- approve of regulation, segregation, and licensing, and believe that the enforcement of law should be tried, there is a spirit of hope breathing through their reports and a record of accomplishment upon which the hopes seem to be justly based. The experience is, in most instances, brief; but it is suggestive. Fall River, Mass. (John R. Rostrom, Clerk Board of Police.) "This department has endeavored to suppress prostitution and enforce the laws against it. Excellent results have been obtained. It is believed that there is not a regular house of prostitution in Fall River. Any department that is honest and alert can keep such houses out of its territory.' Lincoln, Neb. (D. L. Love, Mayor, Oct. 7, 1909.) "Your questions all relate to the regulation, licensing and segregation of the evil. We do not attempt to do any of these three things. What we do attempt to do is to suppress it entirely, the same as any other crime. "Up to two years ago we had followed the policy of segregation. For two years we have not had a dive of that kind in the city. We are much better satisfied with present conditions than with conditions under the segregation policy. "We find that the argument commonly used in favor of segregation that otherwise it will be driven into blocks in other portions of the city, is not sustained by our experience. We do not have as much trouble with the vice in blocks and rooming houses as zvc had when we had a segregated area. We do not find it a difficult matter to keep notorious characters out of the city entirely now, and we can unqualifiedly recommend the policy of suppression." The above letters are quoted from the May, 1911, issue of Vigilance, published in New York City. The following was writ- ten directly to the Secretary of your Honor's Commission : 63 Los AnRclcs, Cal. (Geo. Aloxamicr, Mayor.) "In reply to yours of November 28th, 1910, I will slate that iirostitiition is proliibiled by the state laws of California, and the renting of houses for such purposes is also prohibited by the state laws. Lip to the time the present administration went into elYect, April 1, 1909, there was a segregated district. That we have put out of business and now, while we have some prostitutes who do business in the rooming bouses bore, the evil is tnuch reduced. I believe the proper way to bancile the question of the social vice is to do all that is possible to suppress it. If the prostitutes are chased from place to place and are more difTicult of access, it will be that much better for our young men. I believe it to be much worse to have open dens of vice, where num- bers congregate and each tries to outdo the others in vilencss, than it is even to have the prostitutes scattered through the town." Des Moines, Iowa. (Special Committee of this Commission.) "Your committee spent three days in Des Moines, and during that time had long interviews with Mayor Hanna, Mr. Roe, Director of Public Safety; Chief of Police Yaeger, Captain Miller of the Police Department and other officers; also several newspaper men. including police reporters and managing editors; also several physicians of well known local standing, including Dr. C. W. Losh, City Physician for three years while the 'Red Light' dis- trict was in existence, and for two years afterward; also two well known ministers who were prominent in the movement to clear up Des Moines. "Des Moines, up to the fall of 1908, had two distinct 'Red Light' dis- tricts. They were located in tumble-down old houses along the river, and in the 'twilight zone' between business and residence property. Both 'Red Lights' were peculiarly vicious. Here was a combination of the vicious of all classes, including criminals, and much of the crime and disorder in the city originated there. The proprietors as well as the inmates of both these districts were exploited by business interests to the limit. There was very inefficient police surveillance, and it is not surprising that the Des Moines community, following the reorganization of its municipal affairs by the substitution of the commission form of goverment for the old system, should take radical steps against it. Soon after the new com- mission assumed the reins of government both 'Red Light' districts were put out of business absolutely, and this has been the settled policy during the years and months since. "After a thorough investigation of the situation your committee was able to agree upon the following conclusions of fact : "That segregation in Des Moines, under the old system, only partially segregated. That from one-quarter to one-third of the public prostitutes in the city were living and operating outside of the district. "That following the closing of the districts most of the inmates lek the city, and have remained away permanently. "That there has been a notable decrease in crime and disorder since the closing of the district, and also a great improvement in the general moral condition of the city. 64 "That the new system of suppression has diminished the evil to the attainable minimum. Mayor Hanna testified that in his opinion there had been a reduction of sixty per cent in actual prostitution. "That public opinion in Des Moines stands strongly for a continuation of the present system, the claim being made that except for those interested in a business way, or who think the present system hurts business, practi- cally everybody is on that side. "That the police department is honestly committed to making suppres- sion effective, and has effective control of the situation. "That under the present s.vstem there are some vicious women scattered through the city, and plainly apparent street walking to some extent. The first is not at all obvious and the women are operating very guardedly, and are kept on the run by the police. The street walkers are also extremely wary and here again the police are vigilant. "That in Des Moines there is apparent the same evil as in most of the cities — of large numbers of young girls on the streets at night. The police are unable to meet this situation effectively on account of lack of laws giving jurisdiction. "That public sentiment in Des Moines would not stand for a return of the old 'Red Light' conditions," Boston, Mass. The most notable example of a large city that has abandoned the policy of segregation for that of law enforcement, is the city of Boston. A brief statement of con- ditions from the best available sources is given. We quote from the Report of the Police Commissioner for 1910: "The particularly vigorous work of the police in the years 1908 and 1909 for the suppression of public and semi-public sexual immorality was continued in 1910 : but the previous work seems in itself to have reduced in some directions the number of onnnrtunities for successful action. The number of persons prosecuted in 1908 and 1909 for keeping houses of ill- fame was very much the largest in the historv of the department, and to that fact, as well as to circumstances which will be described later, is to be attributed the reduction in the number prosecuted in 1910." (pp. 14-15.) The tables show that the number of houses of ill-fame prose- cuted in 1910 was 60, while in 1908 and 1909 respectively, the number was 114 and 112. Naturally some work had been previously done which did not need repetition. The number of street-walkers arrested and prosecuted in 1910 was 366. We add the following letters in response to inquiries ad- dressed by your Honor's Commission to social workers in Boston, 65 askinc: for what they know of the results of Chief O'Meara's policy. The first is from Robert A. Woods, South End House. one of the most jirominent Social Settlement workers in the United States : "I am very clearly of the opinion that the policy of the suppression of prostitution is the best both in its immediate and its long-range results. This is the result of nineteen years pretty close observation of the subject in Boston in the district where the Social Evil flourishes. I should think that one of your most important questions for consideration is whether the whole philosophy upon which the segregation policy is based is not rapidly crumbling. Even if we were certain of the outward demonstrations of the success of that policy, and I doubt if there be any such proof, the new attitude of medical, psychological and ethical science would put them out of date." Again, Mr. Woods writes, under date of Jan. 27, 1911 : "My observation of the policy of segregation has always made me feel that conditions and results zvere vniclt zvorsc under it than under the present system. If under an absolutely rigid system of administration, prostitution could be set ofF on an island in Boston Harbor with no means of approach but by boats authorized by the Police Department, we should have an opportunity worth talking about of testing segregation. I have never yet heard of any policy of segregation which meant in the least what it said. It meant simply that the speaker or writer wished to remove even the fringes of prostitution from his oivn neit'Jiborhood and put it all into the neighborhood ivhere I lived." Mr. J. Frank Chase, Boston, Secretary of the "New England Watch and Ward Society," writes under date of Dec. 30, 1910: "Under suppression, prostitution is no more scattered than under segregation. "Boston is the center of 1.500,000 people. There are 670.000 in the city limits. Now prostitution is here to some extent, but to a less extent than under anv other policy ever in force. "In Boston, under segregation, prostitution zvas scattered as much as it is today. These houses were situated in streets far away from the segre- gated district, and used by men who for any reason preferred not to be seen in the district, where they could only be under suspicion of immorality. Though I have recently visited fifteen cities with segregated districts. I was able to find houses in all of these cities outside of the segregated district by tipping a cab driver who would take me there. Segregation is showing how to handle a problem by doing nothing zvith it." The best testimonial to the success of Chief O'Meara's policy, and the general satisfaction of the citizens with it, is the fact that he has just been reappointed by the Governor. Omaha has just inaugurated a policy of law enforcement. 66 VII. The Present Situation m Minneapolis VII. The Present Situation in Minneapolis This subject is one of the most important connected with the investigation of your Honor's Commission, and it has a vital bearing on the general conclusions they have reached. If the facts as ascertained indicate that there has been a general diffusion of the evil through the city, following the closing of the "Red Light" district, such as to constitute an increased menace to public health and morals, and that this is an inevitable and per- manent result of such closing, the sentiment of Minneapolis would condemn the present situation, and demand a return, if practi- cable, to the former system of tolerated segregation. To the objection that this would be contrary to law, the reply would be returned, "Salus populi suprema lex" — the safety of the peo- ple is the highest law. Sources of Information. The sub-committee of your Honor's Commission to which this grave responsibility was entrusted, have thoroughly rec- ognized the importance of the task, and have used every means in their power to secure such information as to vice conditions in Minneapolis, both before and since the closing of the Sixth Ward resorts, as would leave no doubts in their own minds at least as to the actual facts. (1) The Mayor and the former Chief of Police, Col, Cor- riston, promptly put the resources of the police department at our disposal, and they have in every way co-operated to secure the real inside facts regarding the situation in the city since the closing of the "Red Light" district. The present Chief, Michael Mealey, has given the same cordial co-operation as his predecessor. 69 (2) In the course of the iiKjuiry, we have had many inter- views with nicnihers of the poHce department, inchidini^: pre- cinct captains, police sergeants covering the down-town dis- tricts, and detectives engaged in the special work of watching the social evil ; also persons formerly connected with the depart- ment. We believe that these men have given us the facts as they know them and without reservation. (3) Individual members of the committee have made dili- gent inquiry outside of police circles, from newspaper men, night hack-drivers, patrons and proprietors of down-town hotels, and many others having an extensive acquaintance with the down- town world by night, or for other reasons possessed of a special knowledge of the subject. (4) During the last winter and early spring, the commit- tee secured from police and other sources trustworthy lists lo- cating a large number of the inmates of the Sixth Ward dis- trict who remained in the city following the closing order of April, 1910, and of practically all places in the city then known to harbor prostitutes as residents or otherwise, or under sus- picion, whether in house, flat, apartment house, hotel or other- wise located. The situation in this regard is changing constantly and an absolutely accurate list is out of the question. What may be a correct list today may require considerable revision a week later. Your committee have taken great pains to check up the above lists from time to time and to secure the actual facts, and believe they have been reasonably successful. But we do not profess to have followed all the prostitutes in the city as they have shifted their hiding places during the last two or three months. Existing Status. The information obtained by the sub-committee from the sources and in the manner outlined above has led your CommJs- sion, at this date, June 26, 1911, to the following conclusions: 70 1. That there has never been a period in MinneapoHs with- in the memory of members of this Commission, a period cov- ering twenty or more years, when the conditions as regards PubHc Prostitution were so generally satisfactory, from the standpoint of the moral welfare of the zvhole community, as dur- ing the period since November, 1910, the date when the police department put into eftect the drastic order prohibiting saloons from harboring prostitutes and directing the police to pursue a vigorous policy for the elimination of disorderly houses, wher- ever located in the city. 2. That the police department, during this period, has shown zeal and vigor in the handling of this problem, and has done it so effectively as to demonstrate that, given a capable police administration, with officers and men honestly committed to making such a policy a success, the evils of prostitution in Minneapolis can be kept dozvn to a minimum under a system that will not recognize or tolerate it in any form, whether seg- regated or otherwise ; at least until the population is much greater, and present physical and social conditions are materially changed. Street-Walking. 3. That since the above date. Street- Walking, at least in its more obvious manifestations, has been greatly lessened as a factor in Public Prostitution. There has been, however, as we state later, an alarminglv large and increasing number of young girls in the streets at night, without proper escort ; but the known prostitute with her professional methods has largely disappeared from the streets, — a situation due, in the opinion of your Com- mission, to the exclusion of vicious ivomen from the saloons, and to the capable zvork of the police. Street-Walking, however, has prevailed to a greater or less extent under all administrations ; it has had no direct connection apparently with the city's policy of segregation, or the reverse. 71 The Dispersion. 4. We have already ineiUioncd that there were but 120 inmates of the houses in the Sixth Ward "Red Lii;ht" district. Many of these left the city promptly upon the closing of the resorts in April, 1910. With the adoption of a definite and con- tinuous policy of vice suppression, many of the others will doubt- less follow. 5. That some of those remaining- in the city, located them- selves in the residence districts, where they have been living quietly, confining their operations to down-town hotels and room- ing houses. Others, who had been proprietors of brothels, re- tired to their private homes and have continued to live quietly, and seemingly with the same decorum as other citizens. Still others joined women of their own type who had been living in down-town business blocks, or in flats or furnished rooms in the district on the dividing line between business and residence neighborhoods, and have there been plying their trade singly or in pairs, but so guardedly and with such clandestine methods, and under such surveillance of the police, as to make continued residence in any place difficult, and to render their operations, in most instances, without special menace either to the immediate neighborhood or to the morals of the general public. 6. That the number of places of the character indicated in 5 is now larger than during most years when one or more "Red Light" districts were in operation ; such diffusion as has occurred being confined, with few exceptions, to limited portions of the Third, Fourth, Fifth and Sixth Wards, leaving the rest of the city practically clear of the evil. Segregation Imperfect. But the natural tendency in a rapidly growing city is for this traffic to constantly encroach upon the business and resi- dence districts. That this tendency has been prevalent in Min- neapolis wider the policy of segregation, is well known to all 72 who are familiar with the conditions of the past twenty years. By a conservative estimate, the average number of prostitutes in the segregated districts during this period has never ex- ceeded fifty per cent of the total number of women engaged in this traffic. We repeat, that at the time of the closing of the Sixth Ward district, the inmates of the twenty-three houses constituting that district numbered about 120. Every well informed person knows that this number was but a small proportion of all the prostitutes then plying their trade in the city at that period. Indeed, noth- ing is more certain than that segregation in Minneapolis has not, in fact, successfully segregated. Large numbers of prostitutes have always operated outside the prescribed areas, irrespective of their number or extent, or the character of the police meth- ods used to enforce segregation. Hotels and Rooming Houses. 7. That there are in Minneapolis numerous hotels and rooming houses which make a specialty of renting rooms for immoral purposes. This is a situation, however, not at all pe- culiar to the period following the closing of the Sixth Ward district, though the number is now somewhat greater. It is a matter of common knowledge that many such places have existed in Minneapolis for years and successfully eluded the vigilance of the police under all administrations. As a factor in prostitution, the "shady" hotel is of growing importance in every city, with- out reference to its policy as to segregation. The increasing use of the hotel for this purpose is one of the significant latterday complications of the social evil problem. As an agency for the destruction of the morals of young girls, it is one of the most menacing influences in the community. These places are a vici- ous complement to the demoralizing associations of the public (lance hall. 73 The Public Brothel Eliminated. 8. That there is an entire absence of the open evils of pros- titution as exemplified by the old "Red Light" district with its accompaniment of lights, music and indiscriminate sale of liquor. There are no places known to your Commission where prostitutes are openly entertaining visitors. There is no common knowledge of the location of such places of prostitution as continue to exist and admission is usually difficult except to accredited patrons. The acknozi'lcdged brothel has ceased to exist in this city. jMany of the houses contained in the old First Street dis- trict are now occupied by women clandestinely plying their trade of prostitution. These places carry the disguise of hotel, or to- bacco and soft drink stores. The women are relatively few in number, from one to three in a place. The inmates operate with extreme caution, with no outward signs of the character of the place, under constant harrying of the police and subject to fre- quent raids and fines. Modern Business Methods in Vice. 9. An interesting as well as significant phase of the Social Evil situation in Minneapolis is the increasing use of the tele- phone as an agency in prostitution. A similar situation is re- ported from other cities, indicating clearly that the telephone is one of the most important factors at work in all our large com- munities to effect a marked change in the conditions of Public Prostitution. To the broad opportunities of easy communication offered by the telephone is due, in notable degree, the passing of the popularity of the old "Red Light" district and the grow- ing use of the assignation house and the private flat. The as- signation houses keep in touch with large numbers of both men and women by means of the telephone and offer convenient op- portunity for coming together without publicity. The telephone furnishes the same useful medium to the woman in the private flat or apartment house to reach the members of her circle of 74 inmates. It is plain that this situation must work to create new conditions in the Social Evil field, conditions which will inevitably operate against the old "Red Light" order. In the opinion of your Commission the telephone is bound to become an increasing rather than diminishing factor in prostitution, with- out regard to the city's policy of segregation or suppression. Rightly this new factor must be given attention and considera- tion in reaching a conclusion as to the proper policy to be rec- ommended for Minneapolis. White Slave Traffic. 10. That your Commission have been unable to secure any evidence of the existence of an organized system in Minneapolis for the supplying of prostitutes for local use, nor to learn of more than one or two instances, covering many years, of forci- ble detention of girls for immoral purposes. This statement does not have reference to the quite common practice of exercising duress on inmates of the "Red Light" district by keeping them in debt. The recent cases in the district court suggesting a "White Slave Traffic" involved the furnishing of girls to brothels outside of Minneapolis, and bore no relation to the local prob- lem of prostitution. Saloon Restaurants. IL While women have been generally excluded from sa- loons, there are several so-called cafes in the city whose opera- tions are so flagrantly opposed to good public morals as to sug- gest strongly the necessity for official action. These places, os- tensibly restaurants, cater almost exclusively to the "wet goods" trade. In practice they provide rendezvous for large numbers of prostitutes and their partners. In some cases music is fur- nished as an additional attraction. These places are rapidly transforming a respectable retail business street into a tender- loin district. 75 Venereal Diseases. 12. Tlie sub-committcc of your Commission has made con- siderable inquiry among' drugg"ists and physicians to determine what, if any, effect has been observed to follow the closing of the Sixth Ward district as regards the spread of venereal dis- eases. Out of twenty-five druggists seen, representing every sec- tion of the city, only two reported doing an increased business in remedies and prescriptions of this class, and those two are relatively small dealers. The others report uniformly that there has been no increase in this line of business, and some of the larger establishments report an actual decrease. The testimony of the physicians heard from is conflicting. It is significant, how- ever, that those making a specialty of this kind of ailments and therefore in a better position to know the actual situation, re- port no increase since the closing of the Sixth Ward district. Young Girls on Our Streets. 13. One of the most disturbing phases of the present situ- ation in Minneapolis, and an alarming social symptom, is the large number of young girls in the streets at night in the down- town sections, and in the business districts of the outlying sec- tions. They may be found in numbers loitering about the fruit stores, drug stores and other popular locations, haunting hotel lobbies, crowding into the dance halls, the theaters and other amusement resorts ; also in the saloon restaurants and the chop suey places and parading the streets and touring about in auto- mobiles with men. It would not be fair to charge that all or a large proportion of these girls are prostitutes. It is perfectly plain, however, that many of those who are not, are on the direct road. Neither is it fair to connect this situation with the closing of the Sixth Ward resorts, although there are those who have deep convictions that there is a direct connection. St. Paul has the same problem ; so have other cities where vice segregation is, and has always been, 76 the established policy. Nor is the situation wholly peculiar to the present time, but rather a steady development of conditions first observable several years back. The source of the supply of these girls, their character and their presence on the streets in such large numbers, offer interesting and important fields for exhaustive study and observation. The situation is unmistakeably sinister, and the responsi- bility rests upon the community to make a thorough investiga- tion, determine the facts, sound a warning, and suggest practical remedies. Many inquiries among those in position to have an intelligent opinion on the subject, develop a comparatively unani- mous sentiment as to the causes of this distressing situation. Lack of Home Discipline. The growing looseness of discipline in the home, a certain measure of independence of the authority of parents, due to the fact that so many young girls are today wage earners, the en- ticements of the public dance hall and the cheap theater, the lure of the automobile, and finally the contagious love of diversion and excitement that seemingly possesses all elements of society in our cities today, are separately, or in combination, ascribed as the chief reasons. The influx of a new type of foreign ele- ment in our cities, of late years, undoubtedly has something to do with creating this situation. This element has, without ques- tion, tended to lower the social and moral standards of the com- munity. The seriousness of the situation is suggested by facts shown in a census made by the police on the evening of June 7th, of the young girls on the streets of the various business sections of the city. This census shows, that there were observed on the streets that evening, after ten o'clock, girls, apparently min- ors and without adult escort, to the number of 1,646. n The Public Dance Hall. Your Couiniission have not pursued this subject to the point where they feel that they can locate the trouble accurately or place tiie responsibility. We are prepared, however, to state our conviction that among; tlie causes mentioned above, the public dance hall is a conspicuous factor. The public dance hall, your Commission believe, and speak advisedly, is one of the most demoralizing^ social influences present in the modern city, direct- ly or indirectly leading: to the downfall of more girls than any other one agency. While outwardly decorous, these places, through their broad opportunities for the mingling of the sexes without adequate discrimination as to age and character, and without home or neighborhood surveillance, constitute a most dangerous menace to the social welfare. More drastic police regulations and surveillance might effect some improvement in conditions ; but your Commission believe that the real remedy is not here. The development of neighbor- hood social centers, using the school houses, churches and other public buildings, with the parents showing an active co-operat- ing interest, we believe to be the most practical step toward bet- tering this situation. A keener sense of responsibility for the welfare of their children on the part of the parents is one of the fundamental necessities of today ; that there is a growing care- lessness in this regard is generallv admitted. 78 VIII. 1 ne Enrorcement or La^v VIII. 1 ne Enforcement or La'w Your Commission have now almost traversed the ground laid out for them by the terms of their appointment. They have traced the handling of Public Prostitution through successive administrations in the history of Minneapolis. That history shows that tolerated segregation has been the uniform policy, except under your Honor's present administration. The East Side, First Street, and finally the Sixth Ward resorts, have all been closed by orders your Honor has issued. Whatever the reasons which have influenced your decrees, those are the facts. There is no recognized and tolerated "Red Light" district in our city. This Commission is asked whether or not it will advise your Honor to create such a district. To this question we have given months of study and investigation. We have considered, in this connection, the legalization of prostitution, and believe for rea- sons already given, that such a course would be impossible. We have faithfully considered the arguments for toleration and seg- regation notwithstanding the law. We have studied the proposi- tion for medical inspection. We have gathered the experiences of other cities, and have recorded them in a previous section of this Report. We have studied local conditions, and we do not find them such as to warrant us in suggesting to your Honor a return to the policies you have abandoned. It remains to say something, therefore, upon the subject of "Enforcing the Laws." The Other Side of Public Opinion. I. If scgreg^ation is to be the policy of our city then, iiiani- festly, it must continue to be a policy pursued in violation of the existing lazus of the State and ordinances of the City. No one believes that, in the immediate future, legislatures are going to repeal those laws and substitute others recognizing and legalizing Public Prostitution. Many of our correspondents 81 who believe that this is tlie logical and hiisiness-hke Ihinc: to do, have no confidence that it can be done. Those who think other- wise have no case against the men and women who "dream" of the final ehmination of Pubhc Prostitution. Wildest of all "visionaries" are those who think that the American people, or the inhabitants of Minnesota, or the citizens of Minneapolis, will ever lec;alizc so hideous and destructive a traffic. (1) The laws and ordinances will not be changed. If the traffic is tolerated it will continue in direct violation of law. Re- spect for law is not the strongest point in the American char- acter. Your Commission do not find themselves in a position to recommend to your Honor or to his police department a policy which compels you to violate your official oaths and set an ex- ample of lawlessness to the entire community. We quote from the words of our City's legal adviser, Judge Daniel Fish : "Your Commission cannot justifiably advise that the existing prohibi- tion be disregarded. The illegal setting apart of a district in which the law may openly be violated, is even more vicious than the vice proscribed. No Vice Commission ought for a moment to countenance the hypocrisy of prohibiting a thing by law and permitting it by policy." We have spoken of that large and influential body of citi- zens w^ho favor segregation, in spite of its illegality, as the only way of dealing with prostitution ; but on the other hand an equal- ly intelligent and even larger body of citizens believe with our City Attorney, and have so expressed themselves to your Com- mission : "To tolerate prostitution as an inevitable violation of law, to be handled by the police, seems to me hypocritical and deinoralizing from every point of view. To license and regulate, and to that end to segregate it, seems indefensible. I see no waj^ but to treat this evil as any other evil, and enforce the law and ordinances against it." "I can think of nothing more abhorrent to me than the legalization of prostitution, and as for the proposition that the city should ov/n prop- erty and lease it for immoral purposes, it is simply damnable. I cannot stale too strongly my opposition to the so-called segregated or restricted district. It is simply a clearing house for all sorts of crime and social disease. A segregated district is the best way I know of to promote pros titution." 82 "I note what you say in regard to treatment of the Social Evil in this city. I am in favor of enforcing the laws and ordinances against it, and do not believe it good policy to give this or any other crime against society the protection of law." "The first proposition you name (law enforcement) is the only one in my opinion worthy of consideration. It being an unmitigated evil every lawful means should be employed to stamp it out ; and the attempt to legalize, or recognize would be demoralizing to the whole community and especially so to the youth thereof ; and I believe that a vigorous and con- tinual enforcing of the present laws will largely mitigate the evil." "While I am aware that there is difference of opinion on the sub- ject as to what is the best plan to adopt and what lines should be pursued, I believe in law enforcement." "Enforcement as suggested in question one may not be possible, but I believe the best citizenship will favor an honest effort to demonstrate whether there is not vitality enough in this community to purge itself from this evil. Let us try that first, and if we fail we shall at least have an honest effort set down to our credit. We shall at least be able to proceed to the next step, in the possession of our self-respect. Give us a sincere and vigorous effort at enforcement and clear the atmosphere of that issue. The next step will not be clouded by doubt or uncertainty." Police Discretion. (2) To leave this matter entirely in the hands of the Po- hce Department to be handled as those officers think best, is a. To make this particular violation of law the one open and acknowledged exception. b. To subject the police of a city to temptations to graft and favoritism, which they ought not to be called upon to meet; temptations to which, in spite of the best of intentions and re- solves, they have sometimes succumbed. The history of police management, where law enforcement is discretionary, is not re- assuring. Our American cities are rapidly awakening to this fact. c. To leave the city without any settled policy upon the very gravest question of the time. Changing administrations change the treatment of Public Prostitution in utter disregard of existing statutes. No wiser words have come to us in this 83 whole investif^ation than the following from the letter of Judge Fish referred to above : "On one phase of the matter, however, I have a fixed opinion ; I do not favor placing in the hands of administrative or police officers the power to say when or where any criminal statute shall or shall not be enforced. Either the first (Enforcement) or the third (Legalization) of the alternatives suggested, should prevail. The plan of changing the operative law of a city by changing mayors or by changing the mind of a mayor as his inclinations or interests may prompt, is extremely demoraliz- ing, and in conflict with the avowed principle that ours is a government of law and not of men." Your Commission believe that this principle is not only sound and just, but that it lies at the basis of our most cherished institutions. It is the principle of stability and continuity, in the midst of all changes. When that principle is set aside, all things are adrift. Business Interests. 2. A segregated district is no longer regarded as necessary to "business." The suppression of Public Vice does not "drive business away." This is today the almost unvarying testimony of leading business men. In order to get their sentiment, the following in- quiry framed for this specific purpose, was sent out: "One of the points urged upon us is that the interests of business require a segregated and protected district in our city for Public Prosti- tution. We very much wish to know whether you coincide in this view. If so, is it business in general, or some particular lines of business for which this claim is made? In what way does public prostitution help business? Or, which specific lines of business does it help?" With one or two exceptions, the idea that the institution of Public Prostitution is a business necessity, was utterly, almost indignantly, repudiated. One of our correspondents, however, says: "I do believe that if segregation should take place, it would have a tendency to benefit business in general. A reason- ably liberal administration of the affairs of a city will at all times be beneficial to the business interests of a community." 84 (1) On the other hand, we have dozens of letters Uke the following, whatever our correspondents may think about the policy of segregation itself: "I do not believe that such houses are of any particular benefit to any line of business, more than other individuals living in a city. These people buy their wants where they wish, the same as other persons do." "So far as any bearing which public prostitution might have on busi- ness, in my judgment it should have absolutely no bearing. I do not believe that the question of whether a district is maintained or not should have the slightest influence upon business. When a business community or any part of the community depends for its volume of business upon a traffic of that kind, the business should be allowed to suffer, and if neces- sary become bankrupt." "Will say that I believe that it is untrue in every particular that legit- imate business, either in general or particular, is aided by a segregated or protected district in which the social evil is permitted to exist." "Replying to the suggestion, that has been made to your Commission, that business requires a protected vice district: there is nothing to this suggestion. The better class, at least, of country business men would be insulted by a proposal or intimation that they desired such a place to visit when visiting the City." (2) With equal unanimity do business men declare that the morals of a city are its prime consideration. "The interests of business should not be considered for a moment in dealing with this question. It is inconceivable to me that any reputable business man should raise this point. The interests of legitimate business are wrapped up in the general uplift of our standards, the protection of our homes and our young men and women." These extracts will sufficiently indicate the position of the business men of Minneapolis, and here we may wisely leave this phase of the subject. Finding a Location. 3. Another objection to segregation, or rather an obstacle in the way of it, is the difficulty of finding a location upon which there would be general agreement. 85 Your Coiiimission liave asked the citizens for suggestions upon this point. Opinions vary. One says "it should be centrally located and carefully policed, and the Red Light district recently vacated is perhaps as good as any other." Another : "I believe that Nicollet Island is the proper place for segregat- ing this evil, and that the property should be private property." Another: "Near the railroad tracks or tiie river well up the river bank near the workhouse, would be an ideal location." Still another : "We say, by all means, find a location such as we had before on Second Street South. It will be much better and you will find it will save the city a lot of trouble and ex- pense, and will be satisfactory to nine-tenths of the citizens of Minneapolis." Another says: "Main Street seems to me best, as there are houses on only one side of the street." Yet another : ''Locate on Nicollet Island under City ownership." Still another : "If segregation were decided upon, and it were left to me to choose the location, I'd put it in one of the best combination resi- dence and business districts, and keep it as much as possible re- moved from the class who have no safeguards, such as homes and churches." Finally, "While it might be desirable for the city to own tlie property, I fear that the voters of this city zvould not permit anything of the kind." (1) This last statement is undoubtedly true. Nothing is more certain than that the city will never own property to be used for purposes of prostitution. Even those who favor legal- izing and segregating the evil, shrink from this form of Munici- pal Ownership. They say it makes the city a partner in crime and shame. On what grounds they justify individual owners of property in becoming partners with shame and crime is not ap- parent. But the city zvill never own such property. So much is settled. (2) It is equally settled that the "Red Light" district will not he again located in the Sixth Ward. The people there will not have it, and there is no power that can force it upon them. 86 Hundreds of residents of that ward are on record as protest- ing against its re-establishnient. Your Commission cannot, in justice, even suggest that this abomination be put back. We would be quite as justifiable in recommending that it be quar- tered on Park Avenue or Lowry Hill or at Lake Harriet. It will be time enough to characterize the people of the Sixth Ward as narrow and selfish, and unmindful of the city as a whole, when other localities shall cheerfully make place for seg- regation of brothels. No One Wants Segregation in His Own Neighborhood. (3) While there is no consensus of opinion among our cor- respondents on this point, this significant fact develops : No one zi'ants the brothel in Jiis oivn neighborhood; for that he is not to blame. Every one who favors segregation wants it in the other man's neighborhood; for this he is to blame. Every person wants the law enforced in that section of the city in which he lives, but many are willing that violation of the law shall be tolerated else- where. W^e have still to learn that the moral interests of a com- munity are one. One of the strongest advocates of segregation writes : "I think I make it plain that I would favor the third proposition stated in your letter ; but if the segregation plan went through I would not have the nerve to suggest the site, because if it were in the inmiediate neighbor- hood of my house, I would resort to an injunction to restrain the project as a nuisance ; and I assume that everyone else would feel the same way."' When we come to the last analysis, no one wants such a dis- trict anywhere in his vicinity. The business centers do not want it; the residence districts object. May we not some day discover that the toleration, or even the existence, of a plague-spot so repugnant to us all, is not a necessity but a nuisance, and a nui- sance that may be suppressed if all will unite in doing for the entire city zvhat each proposes to do for his ozvn particular sec- tion? With the rapid growth of cities we have not yet really 87 leariKxl liow to live toi^cllicr so as to share the common life aiul the common responsibilities. May not this be the time and the occasion to emphasize in .Minnoaiiolis the true lesson of Co- operative Citizenship? Segregation Does Not Segregate. 4. A fourth consideration is that segregation does not seg- regate. It does not accomplish the object sought. Your Commission have most earnestly considered this ques- tion. ]\Iost of those who favor sec:;reg;ation assume that if a certain district is set apart for this purpose, prostitution can be confined to that district ; in other words, that it is only neces- sary to say "segregate," and it is done. The facts show that this is not the case. Segregation has never gathered within its precincts more than a fraction of the whole number of prostitutes in a given community ; and it is at least an open question whether it has not rather aggravated than relieved the situation outside. ( 1 ) Your Commission desire to call the attention of youi Honor to the significance of the section on the "Experiences and Methods of Other Cities." The special committee of investiga- tion that your Commission sent to Des Moines, found that segre- gation, under the old system, only partially segregated; that from one-quarter to one-third of the public prostitutes in the city were living and operating outside of the district. In Cleve- land and Toledo, our sub-committee found that, in spite of the segregated quarters, there were many assignation houses in oper- ation, and a large number of women of shady reputation scat- tered through the city in flats and other places. It is significant that in both the above cities there is a strong tendency toward ultimate elimination of the "Red Light" district. Cleveland has in a few years' time reduced the number of houses from 365 to 60. The Toledo police department will this year abolish all the houses in one of the two segregated districts, leaving but one 88 juch district remaining. Milwaukee shows no increase in the Mumber for years, despite the rapid growth of population in that :ity. In all these cities the business is carried on in dilapidated louses rapidly going to ruin, and presenting a very unattractive ;ippearance without and thoroughly unsanitary within. The sit- jation is quite similar in Chicago and some other cities, showing unmistakably the waning poDularity of a segregated district with the sporting public. In our own city, as the historical sketch will show, the tendency is and has been the same. Every one who knows anything at all about the matter, knows that prostitution cannot be corralled within a certain definite reservation. The public brothel and the segregated district are doomed, and your Commission cannot recommend the rehabilitation of a waning in- dustry of that description. A similar tendency is noted abroad. We have already noted the difference between the European system and what is under- stood by segregation in this country. The tendency there as here is for prostitution to spread beyond its assigned limits, whether these be the licensed house or the tolerated district. Havelock Ellis, in his monumental work on this general subject, in the edition of 1910, surveying the entire field, concludes : "Thus it comes about that brothels which once contained nearly all the women who made it a business (Prostitution) now contain only a decreasing minority. The decay of brothels, whether as cause and effect, has been associated with a vast increase of prostitution outside brothels." (Vol. VI, p. 303.) "Even the most ardent advocates of the registration of prostitution recognize that, not only is the tendency of civilization opposed rather than favorable to the system, but that in the numerous countries where the system persists, registered prostitutes are losing ground in the struggle against clandestine prostitutes. Even in France, the classic land of the police-controlled prostitutes, the Maisons de tolerance have long been stead- ily decreasing in number, by no means because prostitution is decreasing, but because low class brasseries and small cafcs-ckantanis, which are really unlicensed brothels, are taking their place." (p. 252.) In Japan, where segregation exists more as we understand segregation, and where it is rigidly enforced, under state regu- lation, it is still impossible to make the segregation complete. A 89 recent I'Vench writer upon the subject says: "Though prostitii- tion is rep-ilated HI;a. VJK JUN 1 32000 RENEWALS CAlIf 1 m^m: ^^ff'fM^jlfm '■.mm. 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