The question for each individual man is, plainly, whether he shall be a party to anything which thrives on the smothering out of the lives and the decency of helpless and agonized young women. The thoughtless men who patronize brothels are mostly of the opinion that these women are good for nothing else, and that they are permanent fixtures there little realizing that a large proportion of them die every year, that most of them sink lower and lower with horrible rapidity, and that their places must be filled, not by worthless and mature women, but by the youngest, freshest, and most attractive girls it is possible to secure.
Thus a traffic in girls is absolutely essential to supply the demand and this must be somewhat further elucidated. It is a fact, accepted by those who are well qualified to know, that about one fourth of the prostitutes drop out every year, and Sanger says: "The average duration of life among these women does not exceed four years from the beginning of their career"; while some European authorities place the duration of life at five years. Exceptionally, however, some of them remain in seemingly fair physical condition for very much longer periods of time; but on an average one fourth disappear every year.
So, of course, there must be an active recruiting service going on, incomparably more exacting than that required by the military forces, taking no account of the innumerable servants, shopgirls, chorus girls, actresses, waitresses and others, who are led to practise clandestine prostitution. Furthermore, it is estimated, as nearly as can be approximated, that for every prostitute there are five impure men to support her; and these "lusting beasts of prey" not only do not want them to reform, but continually demand new and fresh supplies.
Therefore, since the two factors of supply and demand are intimately correlated as an axiom of political economy, if the men show a desire to purchase, then the commodities will certainly be supplied. Surely all the oceans cannot wash away the stains from those who shed the costly blood of these young girls whom they hold so cheap!
There are men and women abroad, called respectively procurers and procuresses, or pimps, whose sole livelihood consists in inveigling young girls into this life by force, or fraud, or other means. "Oh, surely this is a mistake!" one cries out in his heart of hearts; but no the brothel needs such monsters, who think nothing of entrapping an innocent girl, of turning her imprudent steps along a torturing path to an outcast's life and a shameful grave, and who for money lead her to suspect no evil and enshroud her with the filthy pall of the courtezan. The price of blood is paid by the defiled men who patronize brothels.
The first thing for a procurer or procuress to do is to get acquainted with girls who have lost their natural protectors, or who are away from home in a large city and entirely dependent upon themselves. For some kinds of work the procuress succeeds better, and for others the procurer is better fitted.
At "intelligence offices" for servants, at lodging houses, and even at churches, Sunday schools and hospitals, there are innumerable opportunities to meet girls who are out of employment, or who are dissatisfied with their conditions of life. Many are led into traps by seemingly proper and enticing advertisements which continually appear in the columns of the newspapers.
When the unsuspecting young women meet the advertisers, they are delighted with their pleasing manners and the promise of large wages and easy work. Thus very often a country lass does not know that she is a servant in a brothel until many days have elapsed; and a little drugged wine, the removal of her clothing so that she cannot escape, and tact on the part of the mistress of the house, soon accomplish her ruin. Lurking about the incoming trains are frequently to be seen ladies and gentlemen of benevolent aspect who are eager to assist any innocent looking girl in finding employment or a nice lodging house. Even the hospitals are visited and friendships made with destitute girls, by gifts of flowers and other kindnesses, so that when the deluded victims leave the ward they confidingly go with the sanctimonious procuress to their unsuspected doom.