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288 THE WHITE SLAVE MARKET
of Leman Street Station, Whitechapel, some
little time back visited an outgoing boat.
They saw on board the boat a known and noted
" "
pimp with two young girls comely, wellset
Jewesses. When the " pimp " saw the
detectives, he quickly separated from the
girls. Being convinced that something was
wrong, the officers secreted themselves. When
the " pimp " thought they had departed, he
approached the girls and began to exchange
papers with them. The officers approached
and questioned the girls, who denied all
knowledge of the "pimp," although they had
just secreted papers he had given them. If
the officers had had the adequate powers
to detain the three on suspicion, the papers
would have probably convicted the "pimp"
and saved the girls. But the officers had no
authority to interfere unless the girls themselves
complained.
This case is only typical of hundreds and
hundreds of cases that come under the notice
of honourable officials who, however, are
powerless to act. How long shall they remain
powerless ? Parliament must answer that
question quickly.
It would be unjust to close these notes on
the horrors of Whitechapel without giving a
well-deserved meed of praise to the great
efforts and splendid results of the work of
the Jewish Association for the Protection of
Women and Girls among the daughters of the
poor and helpless, and in some cases homeless,
girl-children of Whitechapel. The police