132 FINAL ACT OF SECOND PAN AMERICAN SCIENTIFIC CONGRESS. 



Governments, a project of arrangement for the suppression of the white- 

 slave traffic, "being desirous," as was stated in the preamble of the 

 treaty of May 18, 1904, putting the project of arrangement into effect 



to assure to women who have attained their majority and are subjected 

 to deception or constraint, as well as minor women and girls, efficacious 

 protection against the criminal traffic known under the name of trade in 

 white women. 



After extended discussion, a convention for the repression of the trade 

 in white women, identical in terms with the project of arrangement, was 

 signed in the city of Paris on May 18, 1904, by duly authorized plenipo- 

 tentiaries of Germany, Belgium, Denmark, Spain, France, Great Britain, 

 Italy, The Netherlands, Portugal, Russia, Sweden and Norway, Switzer- 

 land. The United States was not a party to this convention, but taking 

 advantage of Article 7 thereof, permitting the adherence of nonsigna- 

 tories, the United States adhered to this convention on June 6, 1908, 

 and at the time of adherence of the United States, the Governments of 

 Austria-Hungary and Brazil had, as stated in the President's proclama- 

 tion of June 15, 1908, likewise adhered to the said convention. 



In 1910 a second conference was held at Paris, which negotiated two 

 conventions. The first was concluded between Germany, Austria-Hun 

 gary, Belgium, Brazil, Denmark, Spain, France, Great Britain, Italy, The 

 Netherlands, Portugal, Russia, and Sweden for the purpose of giving the 

 greatest possible efficacy to the repression of the traffic known under the 

 name of the "white-slave trade." The second convention, likewise con- 

 cluded at Paris and bearing the like date of May 4, 1910, was an agree- 

 ment for the suppression of obscene publications, concluded by Austria- 

 Hungary, Germany, Belgium, Brazil, Denmark, Spain, France, Italy, 

 The Netherlands, Portugal, Russia, Switzerland, and the United States 

 of America. 



It will be observed that Brazil was the only American signatory of the 

 Convention of May 4, 1910, for the suppression of the white-slave traffic, 

 and that Brazil and the United States were the only American signato- 

 ries of the agreement for the suppression of obscene publications. It 

 may be said in passing that the United States felt itself unable, because 

 of constitutional difficulties, to adhere to the first convention of May 4, 

 1910, but that it not only signed the agreement relative to the repression 

 of the circulation of obscene publications, but proclaimed it as law of 

 the land on April 13, 1911. 



It is unfortunately a fact that the trade in women, which is known to 

 exist between the various Nations of Europe, between Europe and Asia, 

 and between Europe and Africa, not only exists between Europe and the 



