Open [35.2 MB]

210 THE WHITE SLAVE MARKET
looking, and fresh there was perhaps a likelihood
of her earning sometimes eight to fifteen
pounds a week. But it must not he supposed
that this amount is easily earned : it is as-
suredly made occasionally by prostitutes in
a good position, but the earnings fluctuate
a great deal.
We must quote here a paragraph from Prevention,
the organ of the National Council
of Public Morals, which has on its committee
some of the most distinguished men and
women of the day, many eminent clergy,
including archbishops and bishops, peers, and
well-known social workers. In an article
on
" "
The Common Lodging-House the
paper says:
"
Another urgent necessity is the provision
of lodging-houses for women. At
present the common lodging-houses for
both sexes are such that it is difficult
for a woman inmate to preserve her
purity. Moreover, the by-laws, framed
so far back as 1877, regulating their internal
arrangements and governing their
management, need both revision and
reform.
' ' With regard to fallen women, there is
remarkable unanimity amongst those who
know in stating that the great majority
of them begin their downward course
before they are eighteen years of age.
Therefore it is urgently nececsary that
the age of consent should be raised from